Barcelona are the best-paid team in global sport and the first to have an average basic annual pay of more than 10 million pounds (about 12.8 million U.S. dollars), according to a global survey published on Monday.
The Spanish giants return to the top of the pay rankings in the ninth edition of Sporting Intelligence's Global Sports Salaries Survey (GSSS) for the first time since 2012.
The British-based researchers said the average annual basic first-team salary at the Camp Nou is more than 10.45 million pounds in late November of the 2018-19 season, compared with 6.6 million pounds in 2017-2018.
"Foremost among those contracts was the biggest pay deal in Barcelona's history awarded to (Lionel) Messi, widely regarded now as the best footballer of all time. His gross basic (pre-tax) annual Barca pay tops 50 million pounds per year, including guaranteed image rights fees," the report said.
Lionel Messi. /VCG Photo
Meanwhile, Barcelona's domestic rivals Real Madrid are on the second place, with average basic pay just over eight million pounds per year.
In third place are last year's number one team, basketball's Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA with an average basic pay of just 7.85 million pounds.
The NBA has extended its lead as the best-paying league by an average salary of 5.9 million pounds, ahead of the Indian Premier League cricket competition (3.8 million pounds when weekly pay is annualized) and MLB (baseball).
The Premier League remains the world's best-paying football league in the 2018-19 season with average pay at nearly three million pounds a year.
The ranking looks solely at earnings for playing sport, not for endorsements or other extra-curricular activities.