I’m sure we’ve all wondered how much money athletes make competing in professional sports; specifically, how much more do NBA players make compared to NFL players. Well, the difference in pay between NBA players and NFL players is pretty shocking. Though both sports are incredibly popular, and while each has a lot of overlap in terms of fan base, NBA players make significantly more money than NFL players.
When it comes to huge contracts, NBA players are winning hands-down. In fact, signing bonuses for NBA players are two or three times more than the maximum signing bonus available to NFL players. As if that weren’t enough, the minimum salary mandated by the NBA for rookies is five times higher than the minimum salary mandated by the NFL!
Naturally, this kind of money can be highly motivating for an athlete who’s considering which sport to play. For instance, a rookie football player should expect an average salary of about $475,000. At the same time, an NBA rookie could make a guaranteed 1 to 2 million dollars or higher, depending on their contract. This disparity in pay is due partly to the amount of risk associated with football. A career in football is far shorter than a career in basketball, so it makes sense that the salary of basketball players would be significantly higher.
Another factor to consider is the number of teams in each league. There are only 32 teams in the NFL, meaning salaries in that league are spread much thinner than salaries in the NBA. The NBA has 30 teams, meaning the same amount of money is spread over a larger group of players, resulting in higher salaries overall. The salary cap in the NBA is also much higher than the NFL cap. Finally, the amounts of revenue generated by ticket sales, merchandise sales, and broadcast deals in the NBA are significantly higher than those generated by the NFL.
At the end of the day, NBA players are making more money than NFL players – and it’s easy to see why. In a nutshell, basketball players are guaranteed higher salaries thanks to the NBA’s higher salary cap, revenue streams, amount of teams, and the risk associated with football. All of these factors contribute to the disparity in pay between the two sports. I for one think it’s a good thing to see players getting paid what they’re worth. What do you think?