Do NFL players make money off jersey sales? All you need to know about profit sharing

Modified May 20, 2024 14:57 GMT

Dallas Cowboys v Kansas City Chiefs — Do NFL players make money off jersey sales? All you need to know about profit sharing

The NFL is one of the most popular leagues in the world, and it grows bigger each season. The league earns much from ticket sales, merchandising and special events.

In this article, we explore whether NFL players make money from their jersey sales.

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Do NFL players get paid off jersey sales?

Yes, NFL players get paid off their jersey sales each season. According to a CBS report:

"If a jersey with a player's name is sold, a small cut of that money will go to the players' association as well as the player."

The report adds that in 2011, Nike paid $1.1 billion to officially license National Football League merchandise. Jonathan Jensen, an assistant professor of Sports Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spoke about this.

Jensen said:

"It only costs them a few dollars to make each of these jerseys, so they have to charge as high as possible prices in the hope that they can then recoup that investment.

"Any of these league deals are really not public, so it's hard to unpack how exactly the deal is structured and what those percentages have been agreed upon between the league and those teams."

Around 11-15 % of the merch sales go to the NFL, and that percentage is shared equally among franchises. The rest of the proceeds go to the manufacturer.

Hence, the total amount of money a player gets for jersey sales depends on their popularity and fan base. The more popular a player is, the more jerseys are sold and the more money they get at the end of the exchange.

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