2007 MLS Salaries (DC United Edition)

[EdTheRed]

By player. (http://www.mlsplayers.org/files/5_2_07_salary_info_alpha.pdf)

By team. (http://www.mlsplayers.org/files/5_2_07_salary_info_club.pdf)

Discuss.

[Cweedchop]

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/


In particular interest is that Mookie Arguez makes more than double Bobby Boswell's salary. :eek:

[OKTerrific]

I thought Boswell was making way more than 30 grand this year.

[EdTheRed]

I thought Boswell was making way more than 30 grand this year.

No - the team offered him a new contract, but he's choosing to play out the existing one (see: Nelsen, Ryan).

[EdTheRed]

A few numbers (didn't check my math, but oh well):

LA Galaxy payroll (using the guaranteed numbers):
$9,179,948.56

NYRB:
$4,896,656.83

DCU:
$2,127,103.00

[tab5g]

A few numbers (didn't check my math, but oh well):

LA Galaxy payroll (using the guaranteed numbers):
$9,179,948.56

NYRB:
$4,896,656.83

DCU:
$2,127,103.00

take out the highest earning (or highest 2) earning players on each team, and I'm guessing the numbers will look more in-line or close the the "salary cap".

use of the DP(s) and Grandfathered-in players really inflate the NY and LAG numbers. but that mostly isn't league money, but rather are owner expenses.

[The Cold Sea]

take out the highest earning (or highest 2) earning players on each team, and I'm guessing the numbers will look more in-line or close the the "salary cap".

use of the DP(s) and Grandfathered-in players really inflate the NY and LAG numbers. but that mostly isn't league money, but rather are owner expenses.

Correct. First DP slot counts for $400K on cap, second counts for $350K on cap. Grandfathered? I don't know. I think they count league max on cap.

[OKTerrific]

Salaries larger than 400,000 signed before this year are grandfathered in for this year only. Then, the contract must be restructured or the player will take a DP slot.

I think I got that right.

[EdTheRed]

take out the highest earning (or highest 2) earning players on each team, and I'm guessing the numbers will look more in-line or close the the "salary cap".

use of the DP(s) and Grandfathered-in players really inflate the NY and LAG numbers. but that mostly isn't league money, but rather are owner expenses.

LA w/o Becks is $2,679,948.52...w/o Becks or Landon, $1,779,948.52.

NYRB has a whole mess of highly-paid players, including 2 making over $1 million. I don't think they're paying all of Mathis' salary, though...

I didn't post the team numbers for salary cap analysis (that's a joke anyways), just to give an idea of what teams are actually spending.

[tab5g]

Salaries larger than 400,000 signed before this year are grandfathered in for this year only. Then, the contract must be restructured or the player will take a DP slot.

I think I got that right.

or (a likely option) the DP rule will be altered by MLS HQ for the 2008 season.

although the official league stance at this point is:
http://www.mlsnet.com/about/league.jsp?section=regulations&content=overview

---------
(B.) DESIGNATED PLAYER
The Designated Player Rule allows the League to sign players (under the League's single entity system) whose salary will fall outside of the team salary budget and whose cost above the salary budget charge will be the financial responsibility of the club for which they play. A Designated Player's salary charge will be capped at $400,000 per annum, but his salary could be higher. Each team initially received one Designated Player slot, and clubs are allowed to trade Designated Player slots. However, no team can have more than two Designated Players. The Designated Player Rule is a three-year initiative that will conclude after the 2009 MLS season when its future will be reviewed.
----------

[tab5g]

LA w/o Becks is $2,679,948.52...w/o Becks or Landon, $1,779,948.52.

NYRB has a whole mess of highly-paid players, including 2 making over $1 million. I don't think they're paying all of Mathis' salary, though...

I didn't post the team numbers for salary cap analysis (that's a joke anyways), just to give an idea of what teams are actually spending.

exactly. and it is useful to see the totals for each team in 2007 (or at least as of May 2, 2007).

"teams are actually spending" on just the DP salaries over $400K for DP slot 1 and $325K for the second DP slot.

the rest of the money to pay these player salaries is coming from the league coffers in the single-entity world of MLS.

the "salary cap" is an ideal, but it is a bit of a myth IMO, as in reality each team does different things either to comply or "almost comply" with what really isn't a "hard cap" on salaries.

[The Cold Sea]

Salaries larger than 400,000 signed before this year are grandfathered in for this year only. Then, the contract must be restructured or the player will take a DP slot.

I think I got that right.

That is correct. The Hunts wouldn't sign off on the DP unless it went this way.

[The Cold Sea]

or (a likely option) the DP rule will be altered by MLS HQ for the 2008 season.

although the official league stance at this point is:
http://www.mlsnet.com/about/league.jsp?section=regulations&content=overview

---------
(B.) DESIGNATED PLAYER
The Designated Player Rule allows the League to sign players (under the League's single entity system) whose salary will fall outside of the team salary budget and whose cost above the salary budget charge will be the financial responsibility of the club for which they play. A Designated Player's salary charge will be capped at $400,000 per annum, but his salary could be higher. Each team initially received one Designated Player slot, and clubs are allowed to trade Designated Player slots. However, no team can have more than two Designated Players. The Designated Player Rule is a three-year initiative that will conclude after the 2009 MLS season when its future will be reviewed.
----------


The Hunt family got really stuck in on this. I'd say the DP stays as is until 2009 and then will be re-evaluated. With 10 ownership groups for 13 teams MLS HQ is no longer Anschutz, Hunt and Kraft. The old ways of MLS (make it up as we go along) are changing.

[SavannahFan]

How'd Columbus pull in that new guy at only 150K...?

[DCU]

LA w/o Becks is $2,679,948.52...w/o Becks or Landon, $1,779,948.52.

NYRB has a whole mess of highly-paid players, including 2 making over $1 million. I don't think they're paying all of Mathis' salary, though...

I didn't post the team numbers for salary cap analysis (that's a joke anyways), just to give an idea of what teams are actually spending.

Is that with our without the $725,000 (400k for Becks, 325k for Cakes) that counts against the Galaxy's MLS payroll?

I got around 2,180,000 for the Gals without their developmental contracts.

[JOHNL2]

Ok dumb question, so in 2008 can they have more than 1 player on a team making over 400k?

ie, if LA kept LD and DB, LDs total salary will count against the salary cap while DB salary is capped at 400k towards the total team cap?

It seems like the RB and LA will have some major issues.

[Grasscutter]

I got around 2,180,000 for the Gals without their developmental contracts.

For Red Bulls, I came up with a $2.217 cap number, which is closer to the cap than I expected.

That excludes Altidore's $108k, even though I read that his salary counts this year, and excludes the salaries of a few others youngsters I'm thinking are exempt. It also attaches $100k to Mathis, who is still mostly being paid by those idiots in Salt Lake.

[The Cold Sea]

Ok dumb question, so in 2008 can they have more than 1 player on a team making over 400k?

ie, if LA kept LD and DB, LDs total salary will count against the salary cap while DB salary is capped at 400k towards the total team cap?

It seems like the RB and LA will have some major issues.

Every team is given one DP slot for a player to be paid above the league max. I think league max is $350K.

The DP counts as $400k against the cap and that $400K is paid by the league.

The rest of the salary for the DP is taken on by the team to whatever level they're paying him and does not count against the cap. The DP or DPs are the only players that can be paid this way.

To have a second player paid above the league max, a team needs to trade for a second slot, but can not have that slot permanently. It's like a three year deal.

Chivas traded their slot to TFKAM for Guevara who used it for Angel.

The second slot counts as $350K against the cap. Above that amount, the team pays. Again, only the DPs can be paid this way.

If the Gals want to keep Donovan, they'll need to get a second DP slot for him...or he takes a $600K salary cut down to league max...not so much likely.

[SteveWWJ]

FYI:
I put the salaries list into Excel and added some filters so you can sort by position, base salary, compensation, etc.

If anyone wants a copy of it, send me a PM and I'll email it to you.

[JOHNL2]

Every team is given one DP slot for a player to be paid above the league max. I think league max is $350K.

The DP counts as $400k against the cap and that $400K is paid by the league.

The rest of the salary for the DP is taken on by the team to whatever level they're paying him and does not count against the cap. The DP or DPs are the only players that can be paid this way.

To have a second player paid above the league max, a team needs to trade for a second slot, but can not have that slot permanently. It's like a three year deal.

Chivas traded their slot to TFKAM for Guevara who used it for Angel.

The second slot counts as $350K against the cap. Above that amount, the team pays. Again, only the DPs can be paid this way.

If the Gals want to keep Donovan, they'll need to get a second DP slot for him...or he takes a $600K salary cut down to league max...not so much likely.

Thanks! Makes sense now! Apreciate it.