<div style="float: right; margin: 15px 0 20px 20px;"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/category/chart-of-the-day"> <img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/2237544b39b8324a71969a00/button-more-charts.gif" border="0" alt="button more charts" /></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/chart-of-the-day"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/2237544b42b8324a7a969a00/button-chart-prev.gif" border="0" alt="button chart prev" /></a></td><td><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-draft-lottery-2015-5"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/2237544b4db8324a85969a00/button-chart-next.gif" border="0" alt="button chart next" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>NBA players are the highest-paid athletes in the world with the average player making $4.6 million in the 2014-15 season, according to data provided by Sporting Intelligence.</p><p>Of course, the NBA has a huge advantage with its small rosters. Just 448 NBA players split $2.1 billion in collective salaries. Meanwhile, NFL players collectively made $3.6 billion in 2014. However, that was divided among 1,684 players for an average salary of just $2.1 million, fourth among the major North American sports leagues.</p><p>Here are the 17 highest-paying professional sports leagues based on average player salary with more than half (9) being soccer (association football) leagues.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/555cf0396bb3f76019798017-800-600/01-829.png" border="0" alt="Sports Salaries Chart"><p class="source"><span>BusinessInsider.com</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-floyd-mayweather-unbeatable-oscar-de-la-hoya-pacquiao-boxing-2015-5">Why Floyd Mayweather is impossible to beat</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="s3OTB1dDooH6JVhs6zmjefvR53XIs7VY" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 's3OTB1dDooH6JVhs6zmjefvR53XIs7VY',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

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The NBA is the highest-paying sports league in the world

NBA players are the highest-paid athletes in the world with the average player making $4.6 million in the 2014-15 season, according to data provided by Sporting Intelligence.Of course, the NBA has a huge advantage with its small rosters. Just 448 NBA players split $2.1 billion in collective salaries. Meanwhile, NFL players collectively made $3.6 billion in 2014. However, that was divided among 1,684 players for an average salary of just $2.1 million, fourth among the major North American sports leagues.Here are the 17 highest-paying professional sports leagues based on average player salary with more than half (9) being soccer (association football) leagues.BusinessInsider.com NOW WATCH: Why Floyd Mayweather is impossible to beat if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 's3OTB1dDooH6JVhs6zmjefvR53XIs7VY',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); Please enable Javascript to watch this video (function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }());

NBA players are the highest-paid athletes in the world with the average player making $4. 6 million in the 2014-15 season, according to data provided by Sporting Intelligence.

The NBA is the highest-paying sports league in the world

Cork Gaines

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