Armenia Basketball League Salaries [VBET A-League + Armenian Tour]
armenia basketball a-league salaries [chart]
|
Player Salary Ranges |
$400 - $4,000 USD/per month |
|
Most Commonly Reported Salary (Imports) |
$400 - $1,000 USD/mth |
|
Lowest Reported Salary |
$0.00 |
|
MAX Salary |
$4,000 USD/mth |
|
Sources Referenced [Players, Media, Coaches, Agents] |
14 |
Source : Josecolorado.com, Professional Basketball Players Survey Data [2021]
Armenia Basketball League Salary
The average salary for foreigners playing in Armenia’s top professional basketball league - known as the VBET Basketball A-League or League A - is between $400 - $1000 USD/per month with the top players pulling in $3k - $4k USD/per month.
It should also be noted some import players reported playing for free.
Yes, zero dollars earned.
That’s because the A-League often targets rookies/beginner players through an annual Preseason Tournament (tour) to allow teams to pay lower (no?) wages.
Based on our overseas basketball salaries study that examined 100+ leagues worldwide, this would put Armenia in the lower-tier pay grade.
Armenia Basketball A League salaries
With the Armenia Basketball League A only being founded in 2017, player wages are still developing in the country’s premier pro basketball league.
Insiders are in complete agreement though that the vast majority of players in the Armenia Basketball A League will be making less than $1,000 USD/per month.
Now where exactly an overseas hooper fits within that range will depend on experience, timing and the club.
So let’s take a look at each.
Armenia Basketball A League: Rookie Salaries
When it comes to import rookie salaries we can pinpoint the Armenia Basketball A-League salaries even further as nearly every source reported rookie salaries landing between $400 - $600 USD/per month.
It can go lower though.
Some rookies (Americans) are playing entirely for free.
Instead of the money, they’re focused on the opportunity and exposure of the league.
That, they will receive.
The A-League does a great job with its social media and promotion work - two very important elements in agents and fellow teams taking notice.
Highest-paid player in the Armenia Basketball A-League
More experienced overseas pros can make a bigger buck in Armenia.
One high-ranking official within the Armenian Basketball A-League told me the highest salary the league had ever seen was between $3,000 - $4,000k USD/per month (depending on bonuses).
These contracts were rare though and reserved for higher-end caliber players such as former G-Leaguers, EuroLeaguers etc.
More specifically, these “big money” signings typically took place towards the end-of-season.
In overseas basketball it’s common practice for players to be cut right before playoff time - even if they are playing well!
Often times, your replacement will be a more experienced and seasoned player who the board of directors thinks is needed to get the job done.
I wrote about this practice and the overall cutthroat nature of overseas basketball here.
That’s why players always need to be looking for their next job while still playing (i.e. have an up-to-date resume and proper highlight video).
Parity within the A-League also seems to be very present.
No club has yet to repeat as champions in its four-year existence.
So expect this practice of cutting players late in the season to continue in the future.
Every team thinks they have a legit shot come playoff time!
The Armenia Basketball A-League allows five import players, meaning lots of basketball wages to be potentially paid out.
Armenia Basketball League Tour: preseason tournament
In 2021, 13 foreign-born players signed to Armenia’s Basketball A-League via the annual Armenia Preseason Tournament (tour) that acts as as tryout for interested overseas players.
Five out of eight Armenian A-League teams signed a foreigner with Urartu BC inking the most (4).
Click the image below for the official list.
The Preseason Tournament - or tour however you want to call it - has unquestionably become a big factor in the A-League recruitment and salaries.
Essentially, the way it works is the A-League sent out a proposal to multiple American agencies.
In it, the A-League explained how its teams were looking for import players (Americans).
The proposal was made of hosting a Preseason Tournament where each agency could recruit its own players to bring to the tournament.
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!@dallasskylinebc has partnered with the @armenialeague for a 2021 6 Game Tour with 32 Jobs Open from 8 Teams.
— Dallas Skyline Basketball Club (@DallasSkylinebc) July 3, 2021
Teams have agreed to use this tour to sign their import for the season. Contracts can range from $1000 a month to $3000 a month. pic.twitter.com/3IqsideHXF
In return, players would play each game with and against purely A-League rosters where coaches, GMs and scouts would be present.
At the end of the Preseason Tournament (roughly a week-and-a-half) each club would then have an opportunity sign up to five import players (the league limit per team).
In case you were wondering for future reference, the five agencies were:
Defence Sports Agency
Champion Sports Agency
Big Apple Sports
Pro Connect
Dallas Skyline BC
Very important to note here:
This was a pay-to-play type of deal.
So every foreigner who participated in the Preseason Tournament had to cover their own:
Flight
Participation fee
At least, that is in theory.
If an agency deemed one of its own clients to be potentially very profitable maybe that agency would cover the costs knowing it would land them their “big break.”
But that would be between player - agency.
In total 13/28 (46 per cent) players who participated in the Preseason tournament ended up being signed.
Please understand:
That is an amazing success rate when it comes to a tryout/combine type of format.
Expect this annual tradition of the Preseason Tournament to continue in the future then.
Ultimately though:
All of this will impact have a significant impact on salaries.
Just think about it.
The vast majority of these players are rookies, looking to get their foot in the door, paying for their own flights, expenses etc.
Teams know these players will play for cheap.
They know they are desperate for an opportunity.
So why would they fork out the cash for them?
The clubs are in the position of power/leverage - not the player.
In that regard, expect a large portion of the league’s salaries to remain in this lower range of below $1,000 USD/per month for the foreseeable future.
And that is completely fine if you are a:
Rookie
Beginner (playing in lower-level leagues)
Happy playing for that salary
But if you’re a more experienced pro then you’ll likely want to look elsewhere.
It isn’t all bad though.
In fact, far from it.
Consider all 13 players selected from the Preseason Tournament were Americans.
As I’ve written countless times before, overseas jobs are already so tough to come by for Americans.
So this tournament is a huge blessing for them.
But beyond that, there are eight teams currently in the Armenia A-League.
Each team is allowed to sign a MAX of five import players.
That means 40 foreigner spots are up for grabs.
So, in theory, the 2021 Preseason Tournament accounted for 33 per cent (13/40) of all foreigners in the A-League.
In reality this percentage is actually much higher since every team doesn’t have five imports.
Earlier this year I wrote about the Easiest Pro Leagues to get into.
That list may have to updated to include the Armenia A-League.
They are giving a fair and honest shot for anyone who is serious about making it pro.
Armenia in Eurasian Basketball League
The best clubs in the Armenian Basketball A-League are also granted a special opportunity to play in the Eurasian Basketball League - a club competition that is made up of the best teams from fellow Eurasian countries.
The latest competition will include Lebanon, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Georgia.
In 2021, the following teams competed:
|
Eurasian Basketball League (2021) |
||
|
Team |
Country |
League |
|
Sporting Al Riyadi |
Lebanon |
LBL |
|
BC Vahakni City |
Armenia |
A-League |
|
BC Divin |
Armenia |
A-League |
|
Bars-RGEU Rostov |
Russia |
SuperLeague 2 |
|
BC Mitsu Basket Lipetska Oblast |
Russia |
SuperLeague 2 |
Much like national team tournaments or other club competitions, these regional events are outstanding opportunities to get noticed.
Typically these tournaments are flooded with teams, players, GMs, agents and scouts who are all looking for quality players in their following season(s).
What’s even better is that clubs in Russia and Lebanon have an earning potential that vastly exceeds anything Armenia could ever offer.
Do well here and your opportunity to skyrocket your value increases tenfold!
CONCLUSION
So there you have it.
The Armenian A-League - an overseas basketball league that pays a modest basketball salary.
But it is one that gives an opportunity to rookies and beginner players to start their overseas basketball careers.
From there, it is on you to ball out!
Interested in playing in the Armenia Basketball A-League?
Have you thought about the Armenia Basketball League Tour?
Let me know in the comments 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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