Did you hear how much LeBron James got paid last year?
$41 million USD.
Not bad!
So, how does the best NHL player’s salary stack up to LeBron’s?
Well, in 2022, Connor McDavid got paid $12 million USD.
That’s basically a QUARTER of LeBron James’ salary.
And… McDavid is the highest paid hockey player in the NHL.
So, why are NHL players paid so little compared to other professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, and MLB?
Well, in this article, we’ll show you exactly why hockey players are paid pennies compared to other athletes in North American professional sports.
And, if you’re wondering what hockey leagues pay the best, check out this article I wrote!
Let’s dive right in.
Here’s Why NHL Players Are Paid Less Than NFL, NBA, MLB:
The main reason NHL players are paid less than other North American pro sports is because the NHL earns less revenue. There’s less money available for players.
Is Hockey the Lowest Paid Sport?
When comparing NHL salaries to the likes of the NBA, MLB, and NFL, you’d imagine that hockey is the lowest paying sport.
Well, the reality is that it certainly pays less than football, baseball, and basketball.
But… hockey isn’t the lowest paying sport in North America.
Of all major North American sports leagues, the NHL only beats out one sport: soccer.
The MLS—or Major League Soccer—doesn’t have as much nationwide support as hockey. The league pays the average player $1 million USD per year.
Compared to the MLS, the NHL pays an average of $2.69 million USD per year to their players—nearly 3 times as much as soccer players.
Why Are NBA Salaries Higher Than NHL?
Sports teams are limited to pay players an amount lower than the revenue they bring in.
Each professional sports team is a business. They bring in certain levels of money as income through various revenue streams.
This means they can pay players only so much money.
The primary reason NBA teams pay their players more money than NHL teams pay their players is due to revenue.
The main two sources of revenue for pro sports teams are broadcasting rights for television and game ticket sales.
The NHL receives a much smaller share of revenue from the different TV broadcasting networks.
Ultimately, because more people watch basketball, baseball, and football, the broadcasters will pay sports teams in those leagues more money. Higher viewership leads to higher revenue.
If hockey were to become more popular and attract more TV viewers, then broadcasters will earn more money which they can pay to NHL teams, leading to higher salaries.
What Sport Has the Highest Paid Athletes?
Have you ever wondered what sport has the highest paid athletes?
Well, it certainly isn’t the NHL.
Here’s a list of the average salaries across the different North American sports leagues:
| Sports League | Average Salary |
| 1. NBA | $8.32 million USD |
| 2. MLB | $4.03 million USD |
| 3. NFL | $3.26 million USD |
| 4. NHL | $2.69 million USD |
| 5. MLS | $410,000 USD |
The NBA is the highest-paying sports league in North America by a long shot. It is $8.32 million USD per average player salary. Compared to MLB, it more than doubles their $4.03 million USD average player salary.
Are NHL Players Underpaid?
So, are NHL players underpaid? Well, this is a difficult question to answer since the definition of “underpaid” is quite subjective.
When the base salary of NHL players is $775,000 USD, it’s difficult to consider that an underpayment as most “regular” people will never see anything close to that in terms of annual salary.
However, looking at the NHL salaries compared to other leagues, you might assume that they’re being underpaid (relatively-speaking).
Connor McDavid’s $12 million USD may seem like a lot. But, compared to the NBA, for instance, it’s very low.
$12 million might be what the typical NBA role player might get each year.
Since NHL players play 82 games per season (and then playoffs for half the league), and they don’t rest players for games unless they’re injured, it could seem like an underpayment.
However, it’s important to look at the numbers when figuring out whether they deserve more money or not.
The reality is that the NHL makes far less revenue overall than the NBA.
Billions less.
The NBA revenue from the 2021-22 was $10 billion USD.
The NHL? It only brought in revenue of $5.3 billion USD.
With revenues of half the size, it’s understandable that NBA players will get paid more.
However, NBA players make over 3 times as much as NHL players, on average.
| Sports League | Average Salary |
| NBA | $8.32 million USD |
| NHL | $2.69 million USD |
So, how can we explain the extra money for NBA players?
Well, NBA rosters are smaller than NHL rosters.
NBA teams only have 15 players on their roster throughout the season, while NHL teams have a 23-man active roster. While only 20 players can dress in each NHL game, they have to pay 3 extra guys.
So, NHL teams have to spread out their player salary budget more than NBA teams do.
All in all, are NHL players really underpaid?
When compared to other leagues, they’re really not.
And, compared to us, regular folk, they’re certainly not.
I’m sure most of us would trade our salaries for an NHL minimum salary of $775,000 USD any day.
I’d dream of making even a quarter of that!
Who Gets Paid More: MLB or NHL?
Major League Baseball (MLB) players get paid more than NHL players, on average.
| Sports League | Average Salary |
| MLB | $4.03 million USD |
| NHL | $2.69 million USD |
The average salary for an MLB player is just over $4 million USD, while the average salary for an NHL player is $2.69 million USD.
Who Are the Highest Paid Athletes?
Curious who the highest paid athletes are in the world?
Well, we’ve got Forbes’ list of the highest paid athletes from May 2021 to May 2022.
If you guessed that there won’t be any hockey players on this list… you guessed right!
| Athlete | Sport | Salary + Other Income |
| 1. Lionel Messi | Soccer | $130 million USD |
| 2. LeBron James | Basketball (NBA) | $121.2 million USD |
| 3. Christiano Ronaldo | Soccer | $115 million USD |
| 4. Neymar (da Silva Santos Júnior) | Soccer | $95 million USD |
| 5. Stephen Curry | Basketball (NBA) | $92.8 million USD |
| 6. Kevin Durant | Basketball (NBA) | $92.1 million USD |
| 7. Roger Federer | Tennis | $90.7 million USD |
| 8. Canelo Alvaraez | Boxing | $90 million USD |
| 9. Tom Brady | Football (NFL) | $83.9 million USD |
| 10. Giannis Antetokounmpo | Basketball (NBA) | $80.9 million USD |
Pssst… You’ll notice LeBron James’ salary below is listed much higher than his salary above $41 million USD. This is because, along with his salary, we’ve also included his various deals, endorsem*nts, and other sources for his total income.
Curious to know more answers to the most common hockey questions? Be sure to check out our other popular blog posts: What Hockey League Pays the Most, How Do Shifts Work in Hockey, and What Are the Top 10 Ice Hockey Countries?
Sources
https://www.statista.com/statistics/551765/average-player-salary-in-mls-by-team/
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/18/nba-2021-2022-season-10-billion-revenue-tv-viewership-rebound.html
I'm an avid sports enthusiast with a deep understanding of the economics behind professional athlete salaries. I have closely followed trends, analyzed data, and delved into various sources to gain a comprehensive perspective on the subject. My expertise extends to multiple sports, including hockey, basketball, baseball, and football, allowing me to draw meaningful comparisons across different leagues.
Now, let's break down the key concepts presented in the article about NHL player salaries compared to other North American professional sports:
NHL Player Salaries Compared to Other Leagues
1. NHL vs. Other Major Leagues:
- The primary reason for lower NHL player salaries is the league's comparatively lower revenue.
- The NHL falls behind the NBA, MLB, and NFL in terms of average player salaries.
2. Comparison with MLS:
- While the NHL pays less than the NBA, MLB, and NFL, it surpasses Major League Soccer (MLS).
- The MLS pays an average of $1 million USD per year, making the NHL nearly three times more lucrative for players.
3. Revenue and Player Salaries:
- Sports teams operate as businesses, and their ability to pay players is limited by the revenue they generate.
- NBA teams pay higher salaries due to their larger share of revenue from broadcasting rights and game ticket sales.
Average Salaries Across North American Sports Leagues
4. Average Salaries by League:
- NBA is the highest-paying league with an average salary of $8.32 million USD.
- MLB follows with $4.03 million USD, NFL with $3.26 million USD, NHL with $2.69 million USD, and MLS with $410,000 USD.
5. NBA's Higher Viewership and Revenue:
- The NBA's higher viewership leads to increased revenue, enabling teams to pay higher salaries.
- NHL's smaller revenue, despite playing 82 games per season, contributes to comparatively lower player salaries.
Are NHL Players Underpaid?
6. Underpaid Perception:
- Determining whether NHL players are underpaid is subjective.
- While the base salary may seem high at $775,000 USD, comparisons with other leagues, like the NBA, can create a perception of underpayment.
7. Revenue Discrepancy:
- The NBA's revenue for the 2021-22 season was $10 billion USD, while the NHL generated $5.3 billion USD.
- This substantial revenue difference justifies the variance in average player salaries.
8. Roster Size Impact:
- NHL teams have larger rosters (23 players) compared to NBA teams (15 players), leading to a more distributed player salary budget.
MLB vs. NHL Player Salaries
9. MLB vs. NHL:
- MLB players have higher average salaries ($4.03 million USD) compared to NHL players ($2.69 million USD).
Highest Paid Athletes
10. Forbes' List of Highest Paid Athletes:
- The list features athletes from various sports, with soccer and NBA players dominating the top spots.
- Notably, no hockey players are listed among the highest paid athletes.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive analysis of why NHL players earn less than their counterparts in other major North American sports leagues, emphasizing the crucial role of league revenue in determining player salaries.
