These Five Seattle Sounders Probably Make Less Money Than You
The average per capita income in Washington state was $41,751 in 2009. Depending on what you do for a living, that might seem like a lot (holla if you're a journalist!) or a little (scoff if you're a banker!). But wherever you fall on the pay scale, it's probably not a stretch to imagine that the average Washingtonian would consider professional MLS soccer players as being far richer than they are.
Sounders midfielder Servando Carrasco will make $32,604 this year.
In at least five cases, however, those folks stand a good chance of being wrong.
The Major League Soccer Players Union publicized the salaries of every MLS player on Saturday (David Beckham indeed tops the list at $6.5 million), and there are plenty of players who make about the same salary as an assistant manager at Burger King.
Five Seattle Sounders--rookies all--make $32,604 per year in guaranteed compensation. Those players are Servando Carrasco, David Estrada, Joshua Ford, Miguel Montano, and Lamar Neagle.
Sounders spokesman Frank MacDonald tells Seattle Weekly that the lower-paid players will often augment their income with coaching gigs, an appearance fee here and there, and perhaps a soccer camp that they help run--but as rookies those opportunities are few and far between. He also says that some players are known to share rooms in an effort to save money.
At any rate, given that every other major professional sport tends to throw money at players with reckless abandon, often whether they perform well or not (see: Bradley, Milton), it somehow seems refreshing to see pro athletes playing their sport for little more than the love of the game.
Here's the complete list of Sounders salaries.
Alonso Osvaldo M -- $140,000
Boss Terry GK -- $44,500
Carrasco Servando M -- $32,604
Estrada David F -- $32,604
Evans Brad F --$140,250
Fernandez Alvaro M -- $366,666.67
Ford Joshua GK --$32,604
Friberg Erik M -- $110,000
Fucito Michael MF -- $42,000
Gonzalez Leonardo D -- $110,000
Graham Taylor D -- $60,638
Hurtado John Kennedy D -- $136,000
Ianni Patrick D -- $85,050
Jaqua Nate F -- $211,000
Keller Kasey GK -- $250,000
Levesque Roger F -- $44,000
Montano Miguel F -- $32,604
Montero Fredy F -- $636,000
Neagle Lamar M -- $32,604
Noonan Pat F -- $96,000
Parke Jeff D -- $136,500
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