How much do USFL players make? Looking at the salary structure for new league in 2022 (2024)

FAQs

How much do USFL players make? Looking at the salary structure for new league in 2022? ›

The reported salary structure includes a per-week salary of $5,000, not including a $1,000 win bonus. Salaries will vary based on incentives reached, but a typical XFL player will make no less than $50,000 and as much as $60,000 over the course of a 10-game regular season.

All told, that means USFL players who play out the full 2022 season on an active roster can expect to make between $45,000 and $75,000 based on team performance. By comparison, the league-minumum salary in the NFL for the 2022 season is just over $800,000.

Unlike the NFL, the USFL pays every player the same sum. Each player on an active roster receives $4,500 per game. That works out to $45,000 for one season if the player stays on the squad for the entire regular season, as per USFL News.

The other product advantage the USFL has over the XFL is its parity. The USFL did a better job of allocating talent to each of its eight teams for its inaugural season than the XFL did in its first year. That has allowed for there to be a bit more unpredictability in the USFL from week to week and, now, year to year.

The CFL Practice Agreement (see Appendix I of the CBA ) allows the team and player to agree to a weekly salary (not tied to games). The Section 17.02 of the 2019 CBA sets minimum practice roster agreement compensation at $750/week ($15,750 over twenty-one weeks of regular season) plus housing or housing allowance.

ESPN, citing information from Doug Whaley and Marc Ross — XFL senior vice president of player personnel and XFL executive vice president of football operations, respectively — reported the average league player will have an estimated annual salary of $60,000.

Notably, the $5,450 weekly USFL salary figure for 2023 is higher than the equivalent pay scale in the XFL — click here for Boardroom's full overview of 2023 XFL salaries. By comparison, the league-minimum salary in the NFL for the 2022 season was just over $800,000.

Players can earn a maximum annual salary of $74,000 in the 2023 season. That includes a $400 per week stipend and is determined on a player not only being active for each of their team's 10 regular-season games and two playoff games but also on winning the 2023 USFL Championship.

The XFL has a bigger salary cap, allowing teams to recruit players at higher prices.

Is the USFL profiting? ›

The USFL's estimated annual revenue after one season is reportedly $7.5 million, that number bound to increase over time as the league grows and evolves.

Week one of the USFL season averaged 784,000 viewers across FOX, NBC and FS1, down 50% from last year's inaugural weekend (1.57M) and easily the least-watched opening weekend of a spring football league in the flurry of launches the past five years.

Fox Sports is the sole owner of the USFL. The league is headquartered in New York City. Fox Sports is a subsidiary of Fox Corporation, which is a publicly traded company.

Per the CBA, players that were on the winning team's practice squad at the time of the Super Bowl victory are also entitled to a ring, but it can be one of lesser value.

Players on NFL practice squads earned a minimum of $11,500 per week, or $207,000 for an entire season, in 2022. However, that minimum was for players who had accrued less than two seasons. That number increased to $15,400 per week or $277,200 for 18 weeks if the player had accrued two or more seasons.

NFL players become eligible for pensions after playing three seasons and health insurance after retirement if they play for five years.

NFL cheerleaders are paid as little as $5 an hour, while the league made $11 billion last year. According to reports, a professional cheerleader i.e., the kind that will feature in the Super Bowl can make up to $75,000 a year.

Those 21 players signed so far to NFL training camp rosters represent all eight USFL teams. They include league MVP KaVontae Turpin, who officially signed with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, USFL championship MVP Victor Bolden Jr.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Professional football is returning to Ypsilanti in 2023. The United States Football League (USFL) will have two franchises – the Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars – practice and utilize facilities on the campus of Eastern Michigan University.

More pressure, more pay

The NFL has not freely given out the figures, but according to the most recent reports, referees were estimated to bring in between $30,000 and $50,000 for officiating in the big game in 2018, so it is likely that this rate has gone up or at least is in this ballpark for Super Bowl LVI.

How much does a full time NFL referee get paid? ›

How much do NFL referees make? The NFL won't disclose how much money their referees make, but based on the expired collective bargaining agreement from 2019, officials made an average of $201,000 per year, according to Money.com.

To be clear, if we use the aforementioned 2019 report, NFL referees receive approximately $12,000 per regular season game.

Each USFL team does not have an individual owner. Instead, FOX Sports owns each team under a subsidiary known as National Spring Football League Enterprises. Per reports, FOX Sports has committed $150 million over a period of three years to operate the league. Outside funding is also being sought.

Lamar Jackson finally has his deal with the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens and Jackson have agreed to terms on a five-year $260 million contract making him the highest-paid player in the NFL averaging $52 million-per-year.

Birmingham, home to the defending champion Stallions, will also be a host. The 10-week regular season kicks off on April 15. The top two teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs, with semifinals on June 24-25. The USFL Championship Game will be played in Canton on July 1.

All players for the 2023 USFL college draft must have been out of high school for at least three years, waived their remaining college eligibility or have exhausted their college eligibility. Last year, players eligible for the draft were already under contract.

The 2023 USFL Season kicks off on Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16 with four thrilling games. First, the Philadelphia Stars will take on the Memphis Showboats at 4:30 PM ET followed by a New Jersey Generals vs Birmingham Stallions match up at 7:30 PM ET.

The USFL pays its players a base salary of $4,500 per game, which works out to $45,000 for one season if the player stays on the squad for the entire regular season. Players also receive a $1,500 per week practice squad salary. In addition, players can earn bonuses for winning games and making the playoffs.

The NFL is the undisputed biggest American football organization in the world. While the USFL tries to compete, they also have to contend with other leagues like the CFL or XFL. And in the end, money talks.

The revamped USFL is back for its second season in 2023, and if you're wondering who plays for each team, you're in luck. Below we'll examine the 52-man rosters for all eight of them.

Why are USFL stands empty? ›

One of the main reasons for the lack of fans at USFL games is that most teams aren't playing in their home stadiums. The eight teams in the league have been split across Detroit, Memphis, Birmingham and Canton, Ohio.

League/Roster Sizes

The XFL and USFL each have eight teams while the CFL has nine. The XFL and USFL also have 10 weeks of regular-season football with no bye weeks while the CFL has 21 weeks with each team having three bye weeks each (thanks to the odd number of teams).

In 2023, two separate leagues, the USFL and XFL, are banking that America's love for football will sustain their efforts this time, betting that “good enough” is good enough.

XFL. The USFL won the battle a week ago for total viewership. This time around, it was the XFL who had more success. Total ratings for the USFL dropped from 3.1M in week one to under 1.9M.

Season tickets cost $30-$120, including access to six games of the selected team. Most of the season tickets have already been sold. According to USFL organizers, season tickets will be heavily discounted with extra value at each host stadium.

Overall, the USFL averaged 784,000 viewers across Fox, NBC and FS1 in its first week of its second season, compared to the XFL's weekend-long average of 592,000 on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 for its week nine. The XFL's high point was Saturday afternoon's Houston-Las Vegas matchup, which drew 878,000 viewers on ABC.

In the mid-1980s, Trump became the team owner of the New Jersey Generals in the rival United States Football League (USFL) and led the league in a lawsuit against the NFL to attempt to force a merger. The USFL won a pyrrhic victory in the lawsuit, though without a merger or a substantial financial victory.

The Rock, alongside his business partner and ex-wife Dany Garcia, and other investors, announced the purchase of the XFL league in August 2020. The football league serves as a breaking ground for minors to reach the big leagues. It showcases 8 teams from all over the USA, divided into North and South divisions.

(Those, however, can be of a “lesser value” should the team owners prefer.) And, of course, the owners can offer rings to anyone else they want on the team, from janitors to cheerleaders.

The Average NFL Waterboy Gets Paid More Than You, And If Their Team Wins The Super Bowl – They Get A Ring. I'm not sure which rabbit hole I was going down when I learned this information. But when a team wins the Super Bowl, the members of the staff usually all get a ring, too.

What does a Super Bowl ring cost? ›

Super Bowl rings tend to staart at $30,000 but they go way up after that based on how every team decides to customize them. Pricing goes up if the design is something way out there, if it's a certain type of alloy or the number of diamonds in it. They also use rubies or sapphires to customize them.

Also, unlike active roster players, practice squad players receive no bonus for playing postseason games. “Last year, the bonus for winning the Super Bowl was like over $100,000, and we still got the regular pay!” says Davis, laughing.

Payment Eligibility

Practice squad players don't receive playoff money but continue to get a paid salary (minimum of $8,000 per week) during the weeks their respective teams are in the playoffs. Occasionally, a practice squad player will be paid as if he was on the 53-man roster at his league minimum salary.

When you make a regular or postseason game roster with a qualifying status (Active, Inactive, Reserve/Injured, Reserve/PUP or Practice Squad), you and your eligible dependents receive Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug, and Work/Life Resources coverage.

On average, retired NFL players earn about $43,000 annually from their pension. Most players also decide to contribute to a 401(k) plan during their careers.

The NFL only covers healthcare for five years after retirement. After that, their health plan can cost up to $35,000 a year in premiums. While the NFL does provide healthcare stipends, they do not even amount to the premium payment on the league's own plan.

Severance is paid as a lump sum post-retirement check. You will receive the payment on the quarter-end date following one full year without any NFL contract activity. The amount you will receive is based on the number of credited seasons you have, and the years in which you played.

Players can earn a maximum annual salary of $74,000 in the 2023 season. That includes a $400 per week stipend and is determined on a player not only being active for each of their team's 10 regular-season games and two playoff games but also on winning the 2023 USFL Championship.

The USFL's estimated annual revenue after one season is reportedly $7.5 million, that number bound to increase over time as the league grows and evolves.

The USFL last year averaged 715,000 viewers on Fox and NBC platforms (with some exclusively on Peaco*ck+ without those audiences being disclosed by NBC).

Is XFL or USFL more popular? ›

“It should be noted that while the USFL had the top overall audience between the two leagues over the weekend, the XFL took the top two spots in adults 18-49 with Arlington-DC on ESPN (275K) and Vegas-Houston on ABC (231K),” noted Sports Media Watch.

Nine of the top 10 USFL QBs in 1984 played in the NFL. Marcus Dupree was only 19 when his USFL career started. Foundation of Bills' Super Bowl teams started in Chicago. The Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars produced plenty of NFL talent.

The USFL is a competitor for the NFL. There is no affiliation or developmental aspect between the two leagues, but the level of competition is stark. To make it to the NFL, players have to enter the NFL draft, which is one of the most rigorous selection processes in all professional sports.

One of the main reasons for the lack of fans at USFL games is that most teams aren't playing in their home stadiums. The eight teams in the league have been split across Detroit, Memphis, Birmingham and Canton, Ohio.

The postseason will be a four-team playoff, with the top 2 teams in each division making the postseason. On January 28, it was announced that the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, will host the 2023 USFL Championship.