NEW YORK (AP) — David Beckham still earns 50 times Major League Soccer's average salary, even with it rising 12 percent this year to $129,395.
At $6.5 million in guaranteed income, Beckham makes twice as much as the second-highest-paid player in the league, Chicago's Cuauhtemoc Blanco ($2,666,778), according to figures released by the league's players union. Beckham joined the Los Angeles Galaxy at midseason last year and brought new attention to the league, which launched in 1996.
D.C. United's Marcelo Gallardo was third at $1,874,006, followed by New York's Juan Pablo Angel ($1,593,750) and Claudio Reyna ($1,265,000), and the Galaxy's Landon Donovan ($900,000).
Forty-six players earn the league minimum of $33,000. Among developmental players, 30 make $17,700 and 43 make $12,900.
The median salary — the point at which an equal amount make above and below — was $61,273 for the 333 players listed. That is up 16 percent from last year's median of $52,965.
Guaranteed income includes salaries and a prorated share of signing bonuses plus marketing bonuses payable in 2007. Beckham has a $5.5 million base salary.
