I'm trying to get a handle on European to US salary comparisons. I understand that EPL clubs (and I assume other top leagues as well?) pay the player's income taxes unlike in the US, so I can adjust for that as well as the currency exchange rates. But the thing that I'm unsure of is the European tradition of stating weekly salaries vs. the stating annual salaries. Just to make sure, are players paid the weekly salary for 52 weeks, or just for the length of the season? If the latter, do they count the weeks from beginning to the end of the season, or do they assume one game a week, and pay for 38 weeks? Last, are incentive clauses based on performance common in Europe? (I'd suspect not). Thanks...
Salaries are generally reported as a weekly rate. This is the annual salary divided by 52, so it is also paid during the off-season or when a player is on International duty. I believe the salary figure was broken down into a weekly wage so that folks could more easily relate to the amounts being paid - it is a lot easier to get your mind around £50 grand a week rather £2.6 million per year. Players get paid a flat rate and they also get bonuses for appearances, winning matches, scoring goals and winning trophies etc.
Okay, same subject, different topic. Here in the U.S., the major pro sports leagues all have a minimum salary. Is there such a thing in England or Europe?
No minimum (or maximum) salary. There is also no wage cap. There is a natural limiter as clubs are paying too much of their turnover into their players wages. Most clubs have to live within their means - exceptions to this are Chelsea and Man City who would (and do) make huge losses but are bankrolled by their billionaire owners.
Also, despite the lack of a minimum salary, the worst paid pros are still typically nearing the earnings of the highest earners than in the USA, where the salary cap forces clubs to squeeze the lowest paid players as much as possible (hence the reason for the need of a minimum salary). The quoted weekly wage is also before tax. It's not what the player gets to keep.
Not totally true. Minimum salaries have been around much longer than salary caps. Player's Associations were all pushing for that well back in the early '80s. The first cap was the NBA back about 1990, then others followed in various forms. Baseball calls it a luxury tax, but it doesn't cap team total salary, teams pay the league if they go over a set amount.