What determines each team s salary cap? Is it always in effect?
The salary cap is the absolute maximum each club may spend on player salaries in a capped year. For 2002, that amounts to 64 percent of leaguewide “Defined Gross Revenues” (divided by 31 teams from 2001) made up of preseason, regular-season and postseason gate receipts and radio and television rights. The cap is in effect 365 days a year. From February 28 to the day before the season begins, a club s top 51 salaried players count towards the cap, plus pro-rated signing bonuses, incentives, etc., but not base salaries of other players on the roster up to 80. Thereafter, not all salaries on a club s roster count toward the cap. The maximum salary cap for 2003 is expected to be near $74.1 million per club.
