2007 Major League Soccer Salaries

The MLS player’s association has just released the salaries and compensations per year for of all the MLS players in the Union.

Click here to see all the MLS Salaries for 2007

Designated Players:

LA Galaxy’s David Beckham, at $6.5 million
Chicago Fire’s Cuauhtémoc Blanco, at $2.67 million
Red Bulls’ Juan Pablo Angel, at $1.6 million
Red Bulls’ Claudio Reyna, at $1.25 million

Outside of the Designated Players:

LA Galaxy’s Landon Donovan ($900,000)
Kansas City’s Eddie Johnson ($875,000)
Real Salt Lake’s Freddy Adu ($550,000)
FC Dallas’ Carlos Ruiz ($435,000)
New York’s Clint Mathis ($410,000)
New England’s Taylor Twellman ($350,000)
Toronto FC’s Carl Robinson ($315,000)
Colorado’s Pablo Mastroeni ($298,000)
D.C. United’s Luciano Emilio ($293,000)

Some of the best players:

Christian Gomez $218,000
Jaime Moreno $275,000
Brian Ching $220,000
Dwayne DeRosario $157,500
Joe Cannon $192,000

Young players:

Josmer Altidore $108,333

A few questions:

What’s interesting is the disparity between some of the top players and the low level players just out of college. Sure, this is the case in all the leagues in the world, but for a young player to focus entirely on soccer, the MLS has to raise their base salary.

To grow the league I think young players are key. Is it sending these young players overseas and then having them return later in their career? Is it grooming quality teams united together in their salaries and their will? This makes me think of the old Earthquake teams and the Houston teams. These were and are teams that are fun to watch because of their collective effort and desire. That’s what makes Manchester United and Cheslea so enjoyable to watch–they never give up and fight to the end. 

Yes, of course that it helps that the best athletes and players are on their teams. Athletes like Michael Essien, he’s a machine, playing at one end of the field and the other in a flash. But, back to the MLS, I think it takes time to develop this league. It’s been 10 years, things are going well. Are they reach to far by paying these designated players such substantial sums? And, then not paying middle range players enough? Bringing Beckham over I think is great–but then some of these other players at the end of their careers?

Time will tell as they say. If Beckham draws in large crowds on a regular basis, his salary will be justified. But, for the long term, what’s the key to success? It’s a slow race where the turtle wins. After ten years, there’s now a colletive of former players and fans that branch out and become families of fans. Former players become coaches and the children of players become players.

Then there’s a regional branching out. Finding the best youth players in Central American countries and the Caribbean. Using the MLS as a platform to sell some of their players. It all takes time and the MLS shouldn’t show all their cards or spend all their money on top players who are winding down their careers, and then ignore the players on the lower rungs who helped build the league.

From the NY Times: Of the 359 players listed by the union, 55 earn a paltry $12,900 a year and an additional 35 make $17,700. All of those players are young Americans just starting their professional careers. Read more…

Click here to see all the MLS Salaries for 2007

2008 Player Salaries for the MLS (PDF doc)