The
WSJ reports that 5 MLS players receive about 30% of the league's entire payroll:
David Beckham and Landon Donovan of the Galaxy and Rafael Marquez, Juan Pablo Angel and the injured Thierry Henry of the Red Bulls make a combined $21.7 million in guaranteed compensation from their clubs. This represents about 30% of the entire league payroll of $71.3 million, according to MLS Players Union figures. In fact, those five players combine to make nearly four times as much as the entire team with the next-highest payroll, the Chicago Fire. And Messrs. Henry and Beckham individually make more than every team except their own. Mr. Beckham, with a $6.5 million salary, makes more than the combined payrolls of the New England Revolution and defending champs Real Salt Lake.
MLS won't become a serious second tier league until it can do more than pay high salaries to aging former superstars.
