Two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract which stipulates that an athlete’s salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of where the athlete is assigned to play.[1]
Two-way contracts are common for professional ice hockey players who aspire to play in the National Hockey League (NHL).[2][3] Any hockey player entering the NHL for the first time will sign an entry-level, two-way contract with an NHL team stipulating that he will receive a higher salary if assigned to play with the NHL team, but will receive a lower salary if assigned to play for a team in the minor leagues such as the American Hockey League or the ECHL.[4]
Beginning in the 2017–18 season, the National Basketball Association added two-way contracts between NBA teams and their NBA G League affiliates. Unlike in the NHL, these contracts are not offered to every aspiring NBA player, but only to undrafted players whom a team would like to keep "on retainer" without having to sign to a full-time contract. Each NBA team can have up to two two-way contract players per season, and are typically considered to be "16th and 17th men" on a roster.[5] Excluding time spent before and after the G League's season begins and ends, players on two-way contracts can spend up to 45 days in the NBA while spending the rest of the season in the G League.[6][7] As of the 2017–18 season, players earn $75,000 while they are in the G League and roughly $204,000 if they spend the maximum 45 days on an NBA roster. The two-way contract system benefits young undrafted players who do not want to play professional basketball overseas, as well as those who believe an organizational investment in them is beneficial to their development. Some player agents are concerned about this system, because in exchange for guaranteed employment at a higher salary than a typical G League player, two-way players give up the freedom to be called up from the G League by any NBA team, possibly one with intent to sign the player to a 10-day contract, which could eventually lead to a full-time NBA roster spot sooner than with a two-way contract.[7]
In baseball, players can receive a split contract. This contract pays the player different salaries based on whether they are in Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball.[8]
See also
- List of current NBA team rosters
References
^ "Major league dreams are anything but cheap". The Augusta Chronicle. December 3, 2006. Retrieved December 1, 2010..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ "Penguins sign F Craig to two-way contract - NHL.com - News". NHL.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
^ Dawes signs 2-way contract with Thrashers - sportsnet.ca[dead link]
^ Brandon Segal placed on waivers - Sports News - The Dallas Morning News[dead link]
^ Dauster, Rob (April 27, 2017). "D-League salaries, two-way contracts increase NBA Draft early entries". NBCSports.com. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
^ "Kings sign Jack Cooley to two-way contract, report says". Sacbee.com. July 23, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
^ ab Cato, Tim (July 18, 2017). "How the NBA's new 2-way contracts work and why some agents are worried about them". Sbnation.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
^ "What is a Split Contract? | Glossary | MLB.com". M.mlb.com. May 24, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
