How Much Can a PBA Player Really Earn on a Championship Team?

A Data-Based Look at Max vs. Minimum Contracts in the PBA

Winning a championship in the PBA is often seen as the ultimate reward—but does winning pay the same for everyone on the roster? The short answer is no.

Behind every title run is a wide financial gap between a maximum-contract superstar and a minimum-contract role player, even when both wear the same jersey, win the same games, and celebrate the same championships.

Using adjusted earnings data from the 2015–2016 PBA season, this article breaks down how much a max-contract player and a minimum-contract player can actually earn while playing for a championship team. By comparing June Mar Fajardo, the league’s highest-paid and most decorated player, with Michael Mabulac, a rotation player on the same dominant roster, we see how base salaries, bonuses, and individual awards create a massive earnings gap—even in a season defined by shared success.

Same team. Same trophies. Very different paychecks.

For context of the the computation, here is an excerpt from the article on Spin.ph in relation to bonuses given to PBA Players. Here is the link to the full article

“If PBA players' salaries are capped at P420,000 a month and the team salary cap is set at P50 million from P47M the previous season, bonuses given by ballclubs to players for won games cannot exceed P6,000 in the eliminations, P8,000 from the quarterfinals, and P10,000 for the finals”.

“Bonuses given to players after a team reaches a certain stage in the playoffs also have ceilings. Players can only receive bonuses not exceeding one-fourth of his salary when his team reaches the quarterfinals, three-fourths of his salary when a team reaches the semifinals, and a sum equivalent to one-and-a-half months' salary once his team reaches the finals. The only incentive not capped is the championship bonus, with the league giving member ballclubs the liberty to give as much as they want to reward their champion teams.”

“A Best Player of the Conference awardee can receive a bonus of no more than P250,000 while a place in the Mythical Team can lead to a bonus capped at P200,000. An MVP awardee can get a bonus of as much as P500,000, but he can no longer get an extra P200,000 for his place in the Mythical Team.”

(Bloggers Note: Since the article did not mention of a specific capped bonus for a win in a semifinal series, I presumed that it is the same as the bonus that they will receive for every win in the Quarterfinals. So, in the computation, every semifinal win is computed as 8,000.00.)

---

The Max Contract Player: June Mar Fajardo

By the 2015–2016 season, June Mar Fajardo wasn’t just San Miguel’s best player—he was the league’s economic centerpiece. His compensation reflects not only team success, but individual value that cannot be replicated.

Breakdown of June Mar Fajardo’s Earnings

Base Salary
₱420,000 (Max Salary)  × 12 months = ₱5,040,000

Elimination Round Win Bonuses
25 wins × ₱6,000 = ₱150,000

Playoff Game Win Bonuses

• Philippine Cup: ₱72,000
• Commissioner’s Cup: ₱24,000
• Governor’s Cup: ₱24,000
  Total: ₱120,000

Playoff Progress Bonuses

• Reached Playoffs (3 conferences): ₱315,000
• Reached Semifinals (3 conferences): ₱945,000
• Reached Finals (Philippine Cup): ₱630,000

Individual Awards

• Best Player of the Conference: ₱250,000
• Season MVP: ₱500,000
  (Other unverified incentives omitted)
  Total Awards Bonus: ₱750,000

Max Contract Player – Final Season Total

₱7,950,000.00 (Estimated; Does not include the Championship Bonus which is the owners discretion)

For max-contract players, championships multiply income, but individual excellence is where earnings truly spike.

---

The Minimum Contract Player: Michael Mabulac

Michael Mabulac played under the same system, won the same games, and reached the same playoff rounds—but his contract placed him at the opposite end of the salary structure.

This is what a championship season looks like from the minimum-contract tier.

Breakdown of Michael Mabulac’s Earnings

Base Salary
₱70,000  (Minimum Salary)× 12 months = ₱840,000

Elimination Round Win Bonuses
25 wins × ₱6,000 = ₱150,000

Playoff Game Win Bonuses
(Same team performance)
Total: ₱120,000

Playoff Progress Bonuses

• Reached Playoffs (3 conferences): ₱315,000
• Reached Semifinals (3 conferences): ₱945,000
• Reached Finals (Philippine Cup): ₱630,000

Individual Awards
None = ₱0

Minimum Contract Player – Final Season Total

₱3,000,000.00

Even on a championship team, the floor for earnings remains tightly capped.

 

Max vs. Minimum: The Championship Pay Gap

Player Type	Total Earnings
Max Contract Player	₱7,950,000
Minimum Contract Player	₱3,000,000
Difference	₱4,950,000

Despite identical team success, the difference comes down to:

• Salary tier
• Individual awards
• Franchise-player valuation

Winning helps everyone—but being indispensable pays far more.

A minimum-contract player can double or even triple base pay through winning—but a max-contract player can nearly reach ₱8 million in a single season.

A PBA championship is a shared achievement—but financially, it is not a shared outcome.

For minimum-contract players, winning ensures stability.
For max-contract players, winning cements legacy—and maximizes earnings.

Same court. Same banner.
Very different paychecks.