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Professional baseball

NFL Players Association Debunks Baseball Salary Myths in Unprecedented Move

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The National Football League Players Association has taken to debunking what it calls myths about baseball salaries, with the aim of defending the collective bargaining agreement that baseball players are striking to avoid. The move comes as the football union faced criticism from its rank-and-file members who blame a new salary cap for the release of many veterans and the slashing of existing player contracts. In a statement, the N.F.L.P.A. cited data to argue that baseball's average salary of $1.2 million does not tell the whole story, as 51.6 percent of Major League Baseball players make $500,000 or less.

Key Takeaways:

  • The National Football League Players Association has disputed the notion that baseball players are underpaid, citing data to argue that 51.6 percent of Major League Baseball players make $500,000 or less.
  • The average salary for the top 25 players on an NFL roster is $1.05 million, compared to only 25 players on a Major League Baseball roster who have an average salary of $1.2 million.
  • The average salary for all players in the NFL is $737,000, an increase of 51 percent in 1993, while Major League Baseball salaries went up only 5 percent and NBA salaries went up 11 percent.
  • Richard Ravitch, the chief negotiator for baseball owners, has latched onto the information provided by the NFL players association to defend the owners' stance.
  • The NFL players association's move has been seen as an attempt to defend the collective bargaining agreement, which is being opposed by baseball players who are striking to avoid a cap.
  • The NFL players association has stated that its goal is not to criticize the baseball union's stance, but to provide accurate information to its members and the public.

Statistics:

  • 746 players on Major League Baseball's opening-day rosters, 51.6 percent make $500,000 or less.
  • 385 players on Major League Baseball's opening-day rosters make $500,000 or less.
  • 343 players make more than $1 million a year in the NFL.
  • 270 players make more than $1 million a year in Major League Baseball.
  • Average salary for the top 25 players on an NFL roster is $1.05 million.
  • Average salary for all players in the NFL is $737,000.

Sources:

  • New York Times, "N.F.L. Union Releases Data to Dispute Baseball Players' Claims on Salaries"
  • Agence France-Presse, "N.F.L. Players Union Rebuts Baseball Salary Myths"

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