The average salary for NFL players hit an all-time high last season (2000) as it surpassed the benchmark of $1 million for the third consecutive year.
The average salary of
$1,169,470 reflected a 5% increase over 1999, according to NFL Players Association documents. It bested the previous high of $1,137,800 set in 1998.
Here are the top 25 NFL salaries from the 2005 season. (source
http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/default.aspx)
1Â Â Vick, MichaelÂ
$ 23,102,750Â Â Â Atlanta FalconsÂ
2  Hasselbeck, Matt $ 19,005,280   Seattle SeahawksÂ
3  Pace, Orlando $ 18,000,000   St. Louis RamsÂ
4  Jones, Walter $ 17,701,320   Seattle SeahawksÂ
5  Brady, Tom $ 15,654,180   New England PatriotsÂ
6  Bailey, Champ $ 13,507,625   Denver BroncosÂ
7  Smoot, Fred $ 12,300,000   Minnesota VikingsÂ
8  Rolle, Samari $ 12,000,990   Baltimore RavensÂ
9  Henry, Anthony $ 11,604,840   Dallas CowboysÂ
10  Ogden, Jonathan $ 10,665,550   Baltimore RavensÂ
11  Stroud, Marcus $ 10,640,000   Jacksonville JaguarsÂ
12  Woodson, Charles $ 10,537,000   Oakland RaidersÂ
13  Baxter, Gary $ 10,510,698   Cleveland BrownsÂ
14  Bulluck, Keith $ 10,251,980   Tennessee TitansÂ
15  Johnson, Rudi $ 10,250,000   Cincinnati BengalsÂ
16  Samuels, Chris $ 9,550,000   Washington RedskinsÂ
17  Favre, Brett $ 9,500,000   Green Bay PackersÂ
18  Roethlisberger, Ben $ 9,498,840   Pittsburgh SteelersÂ
19  Lucas, Ken $ 9,400,000   Carolina PanthersÂ
20  Muhammad, Muhsin $ 9,335,407   Chicago BearsÂ
21  Manning, Eli $ 9,305,000   New York GiantsÂ
22  Rivera, Marco $ 9,130,280   Dallas CowboysÂ
23  Ferguson, Jason $ 9,129,290   Dallas CowboysÂ
24  Wahle, Mike $ 9,100,000   Carolina PanthersÂ
25  James, Edgerrin $ 9,081,000   Indianapolis ColtsÂ
The average basic salary of a footballer in the English Premiership is $1,177,967 (676,000 GBP) a year, or $22,651 per week, according to a survey of professional players by the British newspaper The Independent (
www.independent.co.uk). That figure typically rises by between 60 and 100 per cent when performance-related bonuses, including for actually playing, are added.
The basic pay represents an average rise in earnings of 65 per cent since 2000, the last occasion that a large-scale study was done. The average then was
$712,644 (409,000 GBP) a year, or almost $13,937 a week.
The average basic annual Championship salary is now $341,O52 (195,750GBP), an increase of 53 per cent from six years ago.
The average yearly salary in League One is now $118,214 (67,850 GBP), and in League Two $86,422 (49,600 GBP).
Other sports in US:
NBA 1999 average salary $3,522,134
NHL 1999 average salary $1,194,206
MLB 1999 average salary $1,720,049
(source
http://www.sportsfansofamerica.com/FansInAction/Salaries/Main1.htm)
Here's an article on MLS salaries
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/06/AR2005070601876.html
So the answer is on average for the year 2000 the base salary is higher in the NFL