According to Sportingintelligence’s 2015 Global Sports Salaries Survey, the Toronto Raptors are the best-paid professional sports team in Canada.
The report, which was compiled in association with ESPN The Magazine and published Wednesday, ranked 333 professional sports teams across the globe, spanning 17 leagues/organizations, seven sports, 13 countries, 9,731 athletes who are making a combined $17.94 billion.
The Raptors ranked as the sixth highest NBA team and 21st overall with an average annual salary of US$5 million, above its Toronto sports brethren Blue Jays and Maple Leafs, which rank 35th and 83rd, respectively.
It shouldn’t come as any surprise that European soccer clubs took up most of the top spots. Teams were ranked based on average individual player salary, so many NBA teams were ranked higher than NFL, MLB or NHL teams even though total team salary could have been lower.
In total, 21 Canadian teams made the list. Here’s where they rank.
