The MLS Players Union’s publication of the league’s players’ salaries for the 2007 season reveals that after Englishman David Beckham‘s $6.5 million in guaranteed annual income, the league’s top earners are Chicago’s Mexican forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco ($2.7 million), New York’s Colombian forward Juan Pablo Angel ($1.6 million), and New York’s Claudio Reyna, who is the highest paid American in the league at $1.25 million.
While MLS continues to refuse to reveal salary information, the union said it published the salaries “to facilitate the accurate reporting of this information and to help educate the public regarding player compensation.”
The fifth best compensated player is Galaxy forward Landon Donovan ($900,000), followed by Kansas City forward Eddie Johnson ($875,000) and Real Salt Lake midfielder Freddy Adu ($550,000).
BY THE NUMBERS
$115,478
The average guaranteed salary for the 356 players listed.
74 percent
Players with base salaries of $100,000 or less.
32
Players who earn the league minimum of $30,000
35
“Developmental players” who earn $17,700.
56
“Developmental players” who earn $12,900.
$380,000
Minimum annual salary in Major League Baseball.
$9.2 million
Combined guaranteed compensation budget of Los Angeles Galaxy, the highest in MLS.
$4.9 million
Combined guaranteed compensation budget of New York Red Bulls, the second highest in MLS.
$4.5 million
Combined guaranteed compensation budget of Chicago Fire, the third highest in MLS.
$1.8 million
Combined guaranteed compensation budget of Chivas USA, the lowest in MLS.
Click HERE for alphabetic list of MLS players salaries. Click HERE for salaries by club.