SAN JOSE — The Earthquakes’ emphasis on youth has led to one of Major League Soccer’s smallest budgets, according to salary figures released by the players union this week on the 23 teams.
San Jose ranked 18th — and second to last in the Western Division ahead of the Houston Dynamo. It spent a reported $7.78 million on its 29-man roster, a decrease from last year’s reported figure of $8.4 million.
The decrease is significant considering former president Dave Kaval promised fans the Earthquakes would rank in the middle of player salaries after opening Avaya Stadium in 2015.