Rules · agent fees
Agent fees by league: what representation really costs
Every league caps agent commission, and the spread is 3% to 7%. On a $10M contract that is $300,000 versus $700,000 — a difference of $400,000 charged before a single dollar of tax.
Every league side by side
| League | Commission cap | On $10M | On $25M |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 7% | $700,000 | $1,750,000 |
| MLB | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| NHL | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| NCAA | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| Premier League | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| La Liga | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| Bundesliga | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| Serie A | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| Ligue 1 | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| Primeira Liga | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| Süper Lig | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| Eredivisie | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| Saudi Pro League | 5% | $500,000 | $1,250,000 |
| NBA | 4% | $400,000 | $1,000,000 |
| NFL | 3% | $300,000 | $750,000 |
Commission is charged on gross salary and is not deductible, so it comes off the top before the tax system sees anything.
Why the caps differ
North American unions bargain the cap directly into the collective agreement — the NFLPA at 3%, the NBPA at 4%, the MLBPA and NHLPA at 5%. European football has no league-wide cap, and the 5% figure used here reflects common practice rather than a rule. The IPL sits at 7%, the highest we track.
A player moving between leagues on identical gross pay can therefore lose $400,000 more to representation in one league than another, before any tax difference is considered.
What this does not include
Training fees, marketing commissions, and the cost of a business manager are separate. This page models the playing-contract commission only, because that is the portion the league caps.