Folks sitting around the hot stove want to know: who are the big movers going to be? Who’s going to sign the big-name players to big-time deals?
To get an idea of where teams sit, we took every team’s publicly reported payroll as it stands today, and their known budgets (which we know can still change). We then took a “standard” $10m away from that budget to account for general other expenses (staff and draft picks). Then we compared that number to the salary cap, and identified what is loosely considered “Available to Spend.”
Note, teams might choose to spent this on other things, like IFA, or making big trades that bring in salary. But, still, the point here is to look at what teams have the most leeway to spend.
The answers were interesting.
| Team | Payroll | Budget | Cap Space | Budget Space | Other Exp | Available Spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Blazers | $34,630,000 | $110,000,000 | $75,370,000 | $75,370,000 | $10,000,000 | $65,370,000 |
| Charlotte Cougars | $45,780,500 | $118,000,000 | $64,219,500 | $72,219,500 | $10,000,000 | $62,219,500 |
| New Orleans Crawdads | $62,945,000 | $144,000,000 | $47,055,000 | $81,055,000 | $10,000,000 | $47,055,000 |
| Charm City Jimmies | $64,320,000 | $126,000,000 | $45,680,000 | $61,680,000 | $10,000,000 | $45,680,000 |
| Portland Lumberjacks | $59,857,500 | $112,000,000 | $50,142,500 | $52,142,500 | $10,000,000 | $42,142,500 |
| Madison Wolves | $59,980,000 | $112,000,000 | $50,020,000 | $52,020,000 | $10,000,000 | $42,020,000 |
| Seattle Storm | $68,300,000 | $130,000,000 | $41,700,000 | $61,700,000 | $10,000,000 | $41,700,000 |
| Twin Cities River Monsters | $46,637,500 | $98,000,000 | $63,362,500 | $51,362,500 | $10,000,000 | $41,362,500 |
| Brooklyn Robins | $51,583,000 | $102,000,000 | $58,417,000 | $50,417,000 | $10,000,000 | $40,417,000 |
| Boise Spuds | $60,810,000 | $110,000,000 | $49,190,000 | $49,190,000 | $10,000,000 | $39,190,000 |
| Wichita Aviators | $57,672,500 | $106,000,000 | $52,327,500 | $48,327,500 | $10,000,000 | $38,327,500 |
| Jacksonville Hurricanes | $66,332,500 | $114,000,000 | $43,667,500 | $47,667,500 | $10,000,000 | $37,667,500 |
| Phoenix Talons | $71,735,000 | $118,000,000 | $38,265,000 | $46,265,000 | $10,000,000 | $36,265,000 |
| Omaha Hawks | $76,842,500 | $134,000,000 | $33,157,500 | $57,157,500 | $10,000,000 | $33,157,500 |
| Des Moines Kernels | $52,712,500 | $95,000,000 | $57,287,500 | $42,287,500 | $10,000,000 | $32,287,500 |
| Atlantic City Gamblers | $68,545,000 | $108,000,000 | $41,455,000 | $39,455,000 | $10,000,000 | $29,455,000 |
| Las Vegas Hustlers | $80,952,500 | $120,000,000 | $29,047,500 | $39,047,500 | $10,000,000 | $29,047,500 |
| Long Beach Surfers | $84,157,500 | $144,000,000 | $25,842,500 | $59,842,500 | $10,000,000 | $25,842,500 |
| Calgary Pioneers | $88,677,500 | $154,000,000 | $21,322,500 | $65,322,500 | $10,000,000 | $21,322,500 |
| San Antonio Outlaws | $85,130,000 | $116,000,000 | $24,870,000 | $30,870,000 | $10,000,000 | $20,870,000 |
| Edmonton Jackrabbits | $71,267,500 | $102,000,000 | $38,732,500 | $30,732,500 | $10,000,000 | $20,732,500 |
| Louisville Sluggers | $90,757,000 | $144,000,000 | $19,243,000 | $53,243,000 | $10,000,000 | $19,243,000 |
| Rockville Pikemen | $92,406,000 | $144,000,000 | $17,594,000 | $51,594,000 | $10,000,000 | $17,594,000 |
| Valencia Stars | $89,320,000 | $114,000,000 | $20,680,000 | $24,680,000 | $10,000,000 | $14,680,000 |
| California Crusaders | $96,307,500 | $152,000,000 | $13,692,500 | $55,692,500 | $10,000,000 | $13,692,500 |
| Vancouver Mounties | $84,500,500 | $108,000,000 | $25,499,500 | $23,499,500 | $10,000,000 | $13,499,500 |
| San Fernando Bears | $97,580,000 | $124,000,000 | $12,420,000 | $26,420,000 | $10,000,000 | $12,420,000 |
| Nashville Bluebirds | $93,745,000 | $116,000,000 | $16,255,000 | $22,255,000 | $10,000,000 | $12,255,000 |
| Chicago Black Sox | $99,895,000 | $136,000,000 | $10,105,000 | $36,105,000 | $10,000,000 | $10,105,000 |
| Mexico City Aztecs | $90,944,500 | $110,000,000 | $19,055,500 | $19,055,500 | $10,000,000 | $9,055,500 |
| Hawaii Tropics | $75,083,250 | $93,000,000 | $34,916,750 | $17,916,750 | $10,000,000 | $7,916,750 |
| Yellow Springs Nine | $107,377,500 | $148,000,000 | $2,622,500 | $40,622,500 | $10,000,000 | $2,622,500 |
Not surprisingly, Montreal and Charlotte, with their low payrolls, have a ton of space to work with. At $65m and $62m respectively, they have $10m-$15m more raw resource muscle to flex. Of the two, it might seem that Montreal, who is already planning a new ballpark and is looking to hit the accelerator on their way out of a rebuild) is in the more healthy space to do that, but you could see both get aggressive if the right player is around.
The gap down to the next tier is pretty steep, but that next tier is interesting in that it includes the always solvent New Orleans Crawdads, and Charm City—both teams that are looking to contend, and might be tempted to over-spend on the right part, as well as Portland and Madison, two building teams. Seattle, who seems to be on the edge of a rebuild—but still has that pitching that could tempt a longer run, is next with Twin Cities and Brooklyn right behind. TWC and BRK are both looking like they might want to go racing pretty soon.
The dangerous looking Boise Spuds round out the top ten.
So, yeah, while the future is always uncertain, if you’re looking to project that biggest spender in the off-season, you’d probably be wise to consider one of this gang.
