A standard player contract (SPC) is a Sports Law practice that describes a model or league-standard written agreement between professional athletes and a club, team, organization, etc., outlining the conditions of the relationship. For example, a professional baseball player signs a SPC to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Standard player contracts include league-specific requirements such as minimum standards of employment and compensation, dispute resolutions, or notices about relevant regulations. SPCs are boilerplate contracts; however, they are negotiated and amended based on the needs of the parties. Individual player contracts most often differ from the SPCs through salaries and terms of employment.
The “Big Four”of professional sports leagues - the NFL, MBA, MLB, and NHL - all have their own standard player contract. Most newer sports leagues follow the SPCs of the “Big Four,” when developing their own. SPCs can be created and negotiated by players unions, like the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) or MLB Players Association (MLBPA), or by stakeholders of the league.
[Last updated in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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