FRONT-OFFICE EFFICIENCY How much did Major League Soccer clubs spend to earn a league point in 2015? We expose the difference between success and failure in MLS front offices. EXPLANATION OF TERMS PAYROLL UTILIZATION PAYROLL COST PER POINT Annualized base pay pro-rated by player availability in squad (not transferred, released, loaned or retired) Proportion of playing time of team payroll to maximum possible playing time of team payroll Payroll multiplied by utilization divided by total league points DATA SOURCES MLS Players Union Salary Data, 2015; Major League Soccer; ENB Sports Player Database SOCCERMETRICS RESEARCH 2015 WWW.SOCCERMETRICS.NET @soccermetrics LA GALAXY $ 172,998 $16.719,562 payroll 52.8% utilization 51 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC $ 57,526 $5,422,176 payroll 56.2% utilization 53 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT CHICAGO FIRE $ 103,667 $6,313,439 payroll 49.3% utilization 30 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT ORLANDO CITY SC $ 159,391 $10,413,056 payroll 67.4% utilization 44 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT COLORADO RAPIDS SC $ 58,921 $4,516,380 payroll 48.3% utilization 37 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT TORONTO FC $ 280,019 $20,789,292 payroll 66.0% utilization 49 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT COLUMBUS CREW SC $ 55,898 $4,822,707 payroll 61.4% utilization 53 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT SPORTING KANSAS CITY $ 59,915 $5,369,257 payroll 56.9% utilization 51 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT DC UNITED $ 37,805 $3,652,323 payroll 52.8% utilization 51 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES $ 45,663 $4,610,488 payroll 46.6% utilization 47 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT FC DALLAS $ 27,408 $3,438,832 payroll 47.8% utilization 60 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION $ 57,424 $5,971,711 payroll 48.1% utilization 50 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT NEW YORK RED BULLS $ 35,747 $3,555,182 payroll 60.3% utilization 60 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC $ 111,553 $10,276,754 payroll 55.4% utilization 51 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT HOUSTON DYNAMO $ 61,505 $4,646,934 payroll 55.6% utilization 42 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT REAL SALT LAKE $ 55,771 $4,280,464 payroll 53.4% utilization 41 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT IMPACT DE MONTRÉAL $ 43,727 $4,769,197 payroll 46.8% utilization 51 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT PORTLAND TIMBERS $ 64,687 $5,447,100 payroll 62.9% utilization 53 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT PHILADELPHIA UNION $ 64,553 $5,123,276 payroll 46.6% utilization 37 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT SCCR.MX/1Hx13QV NEW YORK CITY FC $ 236,150 $13,021,682 payroll 67.1% utilization 37 points PAYROLL COST PER POINT