29 March,2010 03:38 PM IST | | Agencies
A new survey has revealed that English Premier League (EPL) footballers are the fourth highest paid sportsmen in the world.
According to a study by sportingintelligence.com, the Premier League stars rake in almost 30,000 pounds a week, with Chelsea players taking home the most, almost 70,000 pounds a week.u00a0
Chelsea skipper John Terry is the top earner, as he earns close to eight million pounds a year, followed by Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who rakes home an estimated 6.2 million pounds a year.u00a0
"One thing remains true pretty much everywhere u2013 the more cash you splash on wages, the greater the chance of winning," The Daily Star quoted Nick Harries, author of the study and the editor of sportingintelligence.com, as saying.
American National Basketball Association players top the league with an average yearly pay packet of 50,487 pounds a week.u00a0
Indian Premier League (IPL) players came in at a close second place at 48,243 pounds a week, followed by America's Major League baseball at third with weekly wage of 35,147 pounds.u00a0
According to reports, IPL ranked highly partly due to their short season. England batsman Kevin Pietersen has the most lucrative contract, with researchers estimating his 2009 deal to be worth one million pound for a maximum six weeks' work.
