NBA is the best-paid league in the world, followed by IPL; EPL lies fourth

Sporting leagues have become increasingly common these days, and sportspersons are making good money from such events. The National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), Indian Premier League (IPL) and the English Premier League are some of the well-known domestic leagues. And the list is growing, with various other sports also taking a look at such ventures. 

Though IPL and EPL may be two of the most watched sporting events, where players earn astronomical amounts, these two leagues are beaten by NBA if one looks at the average annual salary of the players. According to Sportingintelligence.com, NBA is the best-paid league, closely followed by IPL, MLB, EPL, NHL and Bundesliga (Germany domestic football league).

Even when the highest-paid salaried athletes in the respective league are concerned, it is NBA, which stands tall once again over other leagues.

Kevin Durant, who is one of the most skilled players in the NBA, moved from Oklahoma City Thunder to Golden State Warriors. The development would not only strengthen the latter team, but will also see him earning a staggering $27million.

Compare this to the highest paid footballers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney in the La Liga and the EPL, respectively, and Durant is easily the best paid player. The Real Madrid star is paid $19.4 million annually, while the Manchester United skipper is paid $16.8 million.

Kohli, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has become the face of Indian cricket as well, and makes $2.26 million annually while playing for his franchise.

Though the cricketer's figures may look minimal as compared to the basketball or football stars, one of the reasons contributing to the wide difference is that the IPL is not played for six to seven months, unlike other leagues. IPL ends within two months from the start of the competition.