#1 — Roster size: why the richer league pays less
Here's the answer to the paradox. The NFL makes almost three times more than the Premier League, but pays less per player for one simple reason: the number of mouths to feed.
An NFL team carries 53 players on the roster. A Premier League team, about 25. In other words, the NFL's huge revenue is divided among many more people. The league itself confirms it: the NFL's average salary ($3.9M) trails not only European soccer, but also the NBA ($11.9M) and MLB ($4.7M) — all because of roster sizes. In the NBA, only 15 players split the pie, which is why the average explodes.
So who earns more, the NFL or the Premier League? It depends on the yardstick. Total revenue: NFL, by a mile. Average salary per player: Premier League, slightly. At the absolute top: the NFL has the biggest individual salaries (the $50M+ quarterbacks). Real income with sponsorship and contract security: the soccer star has the advantage, because of global reach and guaranteed contracts. The paradox resolves like this: the richest league in the world pays less per head simply because it has many more heads. More money, more people to split it with.
