The LA Galaxy is one of the most successful teams in Major League Soccer (MLS), having won the MLS Cup five times. As with any successful team, the Galaxy’s players are well-compensated for their efforts on the field. The team’s 2023 salaries have been released, and they are sure to raise some eyebrows.
The average base salary of an LA Galaxy player is $690,293 with an average annualized guaranteed compensation of $837,965. The highest-paid player is Javier Hernández, with a base salary of $6,000,000 and guaranteed compensation of $7,443,750.
In this article, we will look closer at LA Galaxy salaries for 2023, including the highest earners and the average wage. Additionally, we’ll analyze the spending on the highest earners and see how it affects the team’s overall performance. We will also explore how LA Galaxy’s spending compared to other MLS teams.
Table of Contents
- LA Galaxy Salaries
- Top 3 Highest-Paid Players
- The Proportion of Spending on the Highest Earners
- LA Galaxy Salaries Compared to Other MLS Teams
- Funding: Where Is The Money Coming From?
LA Galaxy Salaries
Here is a breakdown of the Galaxy players’ base salary and guaranteed compensation.
Top 3 Highest-Paid Players
The top 3 highest-paid players of the LA Galaxy are:
- Javier “Chicharito” Hernández – $7,443,750.00
- Paul Arriola – $1,729,400
- Alan Velasco – $1,401,000
1. Javier “Chicharito” Hernández – $7,443,750.00
Javier “Chicharito” Hernández was signed by LA Galaxy in January 2020. He has represented Mexico at the international level and has been described as a clinical finisher with excellent movement and positioning in the box.
According to Transfermarkt, Hernández’s current market value is €2 million, and his compensation is reported to be $7,443,750.00, making him the third highest-paid player in the league.
Hernández has had a successful career both domestically and internationally. He has won several titles throughout his career, including the Premier League, La Liga, and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He is also Mexico’s all-time leading goal scorer.
2. Douglas Costa – $4,508,333
Douglas Costa Costa was signed by LA Galaxy in February 2022 on a six-month loan from Juventus (via Gremio), and he will be a permanent free transfer after that, on a one-and-a-half year contract that will run through the 2023 season. Costa is a Designated Player and occupies an international roster slot.
According to Transfermarkt, Costa’s current market value is €2 million, and his compensation is reported to be $7,443,750.00.
Costa has won several titles throughout his career, including the Serie A, the Italian Cup, and the German Cup. He has also represented Brazil at the international level and was a member of the squad that won the Copa America in 2019.
Costa is known for his speed, dribbling ability, and creativity on the ball. He has been described as a versatile player who can play on either wing or in an attacking midfield role.
3. Riqui Puig – $1,732,500
Puig was signed by LA Galaxy in January 2023 on a four-and-a-half-year contract, after being acquired from Spanish La Liga side FC Barcelona. Puig is a Designated Player and occupies an international roster slot.
Riqui Puig is a 22-year-old Spanish midfielder who currently plays for LA Galaxy as their Designated Player. According to Transfermarkt, Puig’s current market value is €8 million, and his compensation is reported to be $1,732,500, making him one of the highest-paid players on the team.
He has won several titles throughout his career, including the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Youth League. He has also represented Spain at the international level and was a member of the squad that won the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in 2017.
Puig is known for his technical ability, vision, and passing range. Puig is a highly talented midfielder with a bright future ahead of him. He has the potential to be a key player for LA Galaxy and help lead the team to success in the coming seasons.
The Proportion of Spending on the Highest Earners
As expected, the top three earners are to be the three designated players: Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, Douglas Costa, and Riqui Puig. The three account for 58% of the whole roster’s salary as you can see in the chart below!
This earning ratio between designated vs rest of the players is exactly the same as the cases of Chicago Fire with also 58% of their payroll towards their 3 designated players.
Doing a further analysis of the percentage of the highest earner and superstar Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, in comparison and the rest of the team, the ex-Real Madrid, accounts for 32% of the team’s salary! That’s a third of the whole roster compensation!
LA Galaxy Salaries Compared to Other MLS Teams
LA Galaxy is one of the highest-spending MLS teams when it comes to player salaries. The team has a total salary of $23,463,025 for the 2023 season. This places them second in the league in terms of total salary spending, just behind Toronto FC, who spend $25.7m.
When it comes to average player salary, LA Galaxy ranks second in the league, with an average salary of $690,293. This is above other teams like Seattle Sounders FC, Chicago Fire, and DC United, which average player salaries are above the $600,000 mark.
However, it’s worth noting that spending on high earners isn’t always a guarantee of success. Seattle Sounders FC, for example, has a lower total wage bill than LA Galaxy, with a total salary expenditure of $16.5m in 2023. Despite this, Seattle Sounders FC has been one of the most successful teams in the MLS in recent years, winning the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019, while the Galaxy hasn’t won the MLS in over 10 years.
Funding: Where Is The Money Coming From?
The LA Galaxy are owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), a sports and entertainment company based in Los Angeles. AEG also owns several other sports teams and venues around the world, including the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL and the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The LA Galaxy is able to afford the roster’s salary through a combination of revenue streams, including:
- Ticket Sales: LA Galaxy has a large and loyal fan base, which means that the team generates a significant amount of revenue from ticket sales. The team’s home stadium, Dignity Health Sports Park, has a capacity of 27,000, and the team regularly sells out games.
- Sponsorship: LA Galaxy has several sponsorship deals with companies such as Herbalife and Spectrum SportsNet. These deals provide the team with additional revenue, which can be used to pay for player salaries.
- TV Rights: MLS has a TV deal with ESPN, Fox Sports, and Univision, which provides the league with additional revenue. LA Galaxy, being one of the most popular teams in the league, gets a share of this revenue.
In addition, the team also benefits from being located in a large market with a passionate fan base, which helps to drive attendance and revenue.
