Parrothead FC
30 May 2007, 03:00 AM
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/wizards/story/126438.html
Some MLS players just scraping by
Those on developmental level have same duties as veterans, yet salary is thousands less.
By PETE GRATHOFF
The Kansas City Star
Wizards midfielder Jack Jewsbury hardly lived the life of a professional athlete in his first season.
He took home $380 every two weeks after taxes. To make ends meet, he paid the bills with a little help from his parents and shared an apartment near Oak Park Mall with two teammates.
That was when Jewsbury was one of several developmental players on each Major League Soccer team. They have the same responsibilities and duties as senior roster members, but their salary is thousands less than the $30,000 league minimum and about 500 times lower than what the LA Galaxy’s David Beckham will make this season, $6.5 million.
Now Jewsbury is with the senior squad, making $50,000 a year, and MLS points to him as a success story of the developmental system. The league views the developmental program as a chance for players to enter the league out of college and challenge for a spot on the senior roster — much like a minor-league baseball player working his way up to the majors.
The MLS Players Union points to Jewsbury as well. From its perspective, it’s ludicrous that a professional player should need financial help...
Other pro sports have minimum salaries for inexperienced players. Minor-league baseball players make thousands less than their big-league counterparts, but most live in smaller towns where rent is cheaper. If they get a shot with the major-league club, they receive a prorated portion of the $380,000 league minimum.
The MLS minimum is $30,000 for players on the senior roster, but developmental players do not receive more money for game appearances with the team. Bob Foose, the union’s executive director, estimated it would cost the league $1.5 million to raise supplemental salaries up to the league minimum...
“It’s certainly not what was intended when that system was put into place,” Foose said. “This was supposed to be local practice players in essence, and the league has taken it and used it to create a system where it’s being ridiculously low-paid labor. Those developmental players have the same obligations as every other player on the team, but they’re paid an embarrassingly low salary.”
Despite their low salaries, Wizards developmental players receive assistance from the team. Midfielder Michael Kraus makes $12,900 a year, but the Wizards helped him find an apartment at a reduced rate, one that he shares with a teammate...
I think this article makes some good points, and one of the striking ones for me is the implication about what might be different if developmental salaries (or even entrance-level full squad salaries) were raised. some have argued that it would require reducing the number of developmental spots. how I'd articulate a rebuttal after reading this article would be to say that while it might arguably reduce one or two developmental spots (still a very questionable claim), it really couldn't reduce them by a significant number because developmental players are so often used as full squad members or reserves while still under developmental contracts. unless the roster limit number was reduced, teams would certainly make every effort to fill it. what a salary raise might require instead is an end to the DP dreams of many teams, as that [obviously available] money would simply have to be redistributed among the team's developmental players. the more far-sighted teams would not see this development as a disadvantage.
Some MLS players just scraping by
Those on developmental level have same duties as veterans, yet salary is thousands less.
By PETE GRATHOFF
The Kansas City Star
Wizards midfielder Jack Jewsbury hardly lived the life of a professional athlete in his first season.
He took home $380 every two weeks after taxes. To make ends meet, he paid the bills with a little help from his parents and shared an apartment near Oak Park Mall with two teammates.
That was when Jewsbury was one of several developmental players on each Major League Soccer team. They have the same responsibilities and duties as senior roster members, but their salary is thousands less than the $30,000 league minimum and about 500 times lower than what the LA Galaxy’s David Beckham will make this season, $6.5 million.
Now Jewsbury is with the senior squad, making $50,000 a year, and MLS points to him as a success story of the developmental system. The league views the developmental program as a chance for players to enter the league out of college and challenge for a spot on the senior roster — much like a minor-league baseball player working his way up to the majors.
The MLS Players Union points to Jewsbury as well. From its perspective, it’s ludicrous that a professional player should need financial help...
Other pro sports have minimum salaries for inexperienced players. Minor-league baseball players make thousands less than their big-league counterparts, but most live in smaller towns where rent is cheaper. If they get a shot with the major-league club, they receive a prorated portion of the $380,000 league minimum.
The MLS minimum is $30,000 for players on the senior roster, but developmental players do not receive more money for game appearances with the team. Bob Foose, the union’s executive director, estimated it would cost the league $1.5 million to raise supplemental salaries up to the league minimum...
“It’s certainly not what was intended when that system was put into place,” Foose said. “This was supposed to be local practice players in essence, and the league has taken it and used it to create a system where it’s being ridiculously low-paid labor. Those developmental players have the same obligations as every other player on the team, but they’re paid an embarrassingly low salary.”
Despite their low salaries, Wizards developmental players receive assistance from the team. Midfielder Michael Kraus makes $12,900 a year, but the Wizards helped him find an apartment at a reduced rate, one that he shares with a teammate...
I think this article makes some good points, and one of the striking ones for me is the implication about what might be different if developmental salaries (or even entrance-level full squad salaries) were raised. some have argued that it would require reducing the number of developmental spots. how I'd articulate a rebuttal after reading this article would be to say that while it might arguably reduce one or two developmental spots (still a very questionable claim), it really couldn't reduce them by a significant number because developmental players are so often used as full squad members or reserves while still under developmental contracts. unless the roster limit number was reduced, teams would certainly make every effort to fill it. what a salary raise might require instead is an end to the DP dreams of many teams, as that [obviously available] money would simply have to be redistributed among the team's developmental players. the more far-sighted teams would not see this development as a disadvantage.