LIGA ACB Salary [Player Salary, Min. Player Salary, Team Budgets, Salary Cap]
liga acb salaries [chart]
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Player Salary Ranges |
$30,000 - $5.4M USD/per year |
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Team Budget Salary Ranges |
$3.2M - $21M/yr |
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Most Commonly Reported Player Salary |
$200,000 – $500,000 USD/yr |
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Lowest Reported Salary |
$30,000 USD/yr |
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MAX Player Salary |
$5.4M USD/yr |
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Sources Referenced
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Twelve (12) |
Source : Josecolorado.com, Professional Basketball Players Survey Data [2022]
LIGA ACB Salary
Liga ACB salaries - or Liga Endesa - are amongst the highest in the world as many overseas basketball players typically earn US$200k - $500k/per year.
Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have the deepest pockets however.
Multiple players on both clubs earn over $1Million/per year.
Make no mistake about it:
The Liga ACB is a player’s dream - whether on Real Madrid, Barcelona or anywhere else.
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Outside of the NBA, it is one of the highest levels possible to achieve in overseas basketball.
Not surprisingly then:
Based on our overseas basketball study that looked at over 100+ leagues worldwide, the Liga ACB is in the highest pay grade in the world - defined as ELITE.
LIGA ACB PLAYER SALARIES
Liga ACB player salaries for foreigners (North Americans) will usually land between US$200k - $500k/per year.
But typically the highest-paid players - with multi-million dollar contracts - are actually Spanish or European players.
That’s largely due to two factors:
Excellent level of play in Spain
Excellent level of play in high-level European basketball
Either way:
What a great feeling and atmosphere for Spanish basketball.
To have your best local players earning top dollar is no small feat.
As I’ve written about before, many regions in the world are completely dependent on foreigners to sustain the league.
But in Liga ACB only a few of the top earners are American.
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Highest Liga ACB Player Contracts |
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Name (Team) |
Player Salary |
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US$5.4M/year |
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US$2.1M/year |
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US$2M/year |
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US$1.8M/year |
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US$1.8M/year |
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US$1.7/year |
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nikola mirotic contract
Nikola Mirotic’s contract with FC Barcelona Basketball is the most expensive contract in Liga ACB history at approximately US$5.4M/per year.
The deal goes until 2025.
Nikola Mirotic has the highest basketball salary in Liga ACB.
But beyond Liga ACB:
Mirotic is the most expensive player in Spain, Europe and all of overseas basketball.
For context sake:
According to La Voz de Galcia, Mirotic’s contract alone exceeds another Liga ACB team, Obradoiro, entire team budget!
So what’s the other end of the spectrum?
Let’s take a look at Liga ACB minimum salaries next.
LIGA ACB Minimum salary
After a long court case, the Liga ACB decided its minimum basketball player salary would be set at €28,000 (approx. US$30,000) regardless of age.
Previously the league had used a Age-Specific Minimum Payment Scale.
According to Spanish media reports that was abolished in 2021.
Here’s how it used to work when it came to minimum LIGA ACB salaries:
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Liga ACB Minimum Pay Grade Scale (Former system) |
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Minimum salary guaranteed ($) |
Type of Player |
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€20,501 |
Up to 19-years old |
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€34,169 |
Up to 20/21-years old |
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€41,002 |
Up to 22/23-years old |
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€54,670 |
Up to 24/25-years old |
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€68,337 |
Up to 26-years old |
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In 2021, the LIGA ACB removed Age-Specific Minimum
Salaries.
|
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As you can see:
Regardless of skill set or ability, younger players had to settle for €20,501 if they were under 19-years old.
Important distinction though:
Teams could - in theory - pay these players much more.
This is just the minimum salary that had to be guaranteed at such an age.
luka doncic real Madrid contract
Despite his age, Luka Doncic - who won the Liga ACB MVP with Real Madrid at just 18-years old - would be making much more in his Real Madrid contract than the LIGA ACB minimum salary €20,501/per year (at the time).
Just consider:
His buyout to enter the NBA was a reported US$2M alone.
That was just so he could play with the Dallas Mavericks and enter the NBA.
Luka Doncic’s Real Madrid contract buyout was one of the most expensive in Liga ACB history.
Chances are his salary was up there to warrant such a big payday to the club.
But with Luka Magic taking over the NBA, clearly the Mavs - and Luka - made the right choice.
Either way:
After a long court case, the age-dependent salaries were deemed to ‘not be in accordance with Spanish law.’
So nowadays everyone is eligible to make at least €28,000 (gross pay) out the gates.
Unsurprisingly:
These salaries are typically reserved for younger players just breaking into Spain’s top league.
Meanwhile the more established ACBers will get the bigger contracts.
Imports - or Spanish National Team players - generally get the largest salaries.
If we estimate the average Liga ACB season to be 10 months including both preseason and playoffs then that would work out to €2,800/per month (US$3,000).
Not bad.
In fact:
Globally that would rank in the average-high salary range.
Yes, LIGA ACB is one of the best leagues in the world.
So it can seem somewhat small considering the competition level.
But remember:
Spain has one of the hugest drop-offs in pay from its top division to its lower divisions - LEB ORO and LEB Plata.
By simply getting promoted to the top level some players will see a big boost in pay then.
LIGA ACB SALARY CAP
The Liga ACB salary cap system requires teams to have a total budget of at least €3Million/per year to participate in the league.
Over the years many teams have struggled to get promoted from LEB ORO - the second division - to Liga ACB for this very reason.
Not because of play.
But because of this €3Million/per year financial requirement.
Consider:
In addition to that threshold, teams must also meet the following requirements:
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Liga ACB League Requirements: What Teams Must Have Before Entering |
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5,000 arena seat capacity |
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€3Million Overall Team Budget |
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€1.7 Million Deposit (in case of relegation to 2 nd division) |
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Commitment into Sociedad Anonima Deportiva (if club remains in Liga ACB past one season) |
These numbers and requirements have shifted slightly over the years.
But the controversy surrounding them has not.
Consider:
Due to the economic downturn of Spain between 2008 - 2014, multiple clubs claimed the requirements to be ‘discriminatory’ and ‘unjustified.’
The same argument was made again in 2020 due to the global health crisis.
Yet they still remain in place today.
So just know:
If you are striving to play in Liga ACB, you will be dealing with million-dollar pro clubs.
But just as important:
If you are hoping to get promoted to the top level from your club in LEB ORO or LEB PLATA, there could be complications!
LIGA ACB Team budgets
While every Liga ACB team budget must have at least €3Million/per year, many clubs’ payrolls go well above this.
None bigger than Real Madrid and FC Barcelona Basquet who have budgets totaling more than US$40 Million/per year!
In fact:
According to multiple reports over the years, Real Madrid and Barcelona Basquet actually have the two largest budgets in all of Europe.
That’s likely how they are able to afford some of Europe’s biggest stars.
Beyond Real Madrid and FC Barcelona:
There are a few other teams Liga ACB teams with budgets north of US$10Million/per year.
Here are some of the highest-paying Liga ACB team budgets reported in recent years:
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Highest Liga ACB Team Budgets |
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Team Name (Ranking) |
Overall Budget (Player Salaries) |
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€44M (€19.2M) |
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€43.5 (€18.8M) |
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€16M (€9M) |
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€10M (€5.6M) |
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As you may have guessed:
All of these higher-end clubs compete beyond the Liga ACB level - in continental competitions.
In fact:
Many are amongst the best in Europe’s highest competition - the EuroLeague.
I did a complete breakdown on the league.
Make sure to check it out if you are interested in seeing how Spain’s top clubs compare - financially and talent-wise - to the best in Europe (world).
liga acb basketball
Liga ACB Basketball is considered one of the highest levels in overseas basketball.
But, in the end, it is two-team league between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona Basquet.
Combined the pair have won over 70% of league championships to date.
And that doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon.
Remember:
Both clubs have some of the largest budgets in Europe.
Overseas basketball players are talented.
— Jose Colorado (@ColoradoURB) March 24, 2022
But when starting out, competition often isn’t even the hardest part of the gig.
Here’s what is (thread):
🧵 👇🏻
Their dominance shouldn’t come as a surprise then:
Teams with more money can, generally, afford better players.
Better players means more wins/championships.
Championships attracts even better players.
And the cycle continues.
Currently FC Barcelona (16) has the edge over Real Madrid (13) in Liga ACB titles
Baskonia has the third-most at four (4).
So no one will be changing that dynamic for decades.
CONCLUSION
So there you have it.
Maybe the best overseas basketball league in Europe.
And it has some of the best salaries in professional basketball to boot.
Liga ACB player salaries are definitely highlighted by Real Madrid Basketball and FC Barcelona Basquet.
But with clubs having a minimum US$3Million-plus required budget, realistically players should be very happy if they can land anywhere in this league.
What interests you the most about Liga ACB basketball salaries?
Comment below!
Jose Colorado is a 6-year professional basketball player helping others achieve their dreams of pro basketball with a proven and tested approach to overseas basketball.
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