Daniel Zi
Class of 2028
About
Projects
- "Capping the Game: Exploring the premier leagues shift towards a salary cap" with mentor Ryan (Working project)
Project Portfolio
Capping the Game: Exploring the premier leagues shift towards a salary cap
Started July 7, 2025
Abstract or project description
This project investigates the growing debate around implementing a salary cap in the English Premier League (EPL), one of the world’s most lucrative and globally followed football leagues. Inspired by the model used in U.S. sports leagues such as the NBA and NFL, the Premier League and other stakeholders have begun exploring whether a wage ceiling could create a more competitive, financially sustainable ecosystem.
The project explores the underlying financial pressures that have prompted this consideration, such as skyrocketing player wages, the widening gap between elite and mid-tier clubs, and the challenges smaller clubs face in keeping pace with “Big Six” spending. It also examines how financial regulations like UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) and the newly introduced “anchoring” rules (which tie spending to revenue) are shaping the conversation.
A core component of the research will be comparing the Premier League’s structure to other European leagues (e.g. La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A) to assess whether they’ve attempted similar financial controls and why most have avoided a formal salary cap. Additionally, this project will analyze U.S. leagues that enforce salary caps—looking closely at how the cap impacts competitive parity, labor relations, and revenue sharing—and whether these lessons are applicable or transferable to the Premier League’s open-market model.
Key themes include: • The balance between maintaining club autonomy and league-wide competitiveness • The tension between market-driven player compensation and long-term league stability • Relegation and promotion as structural barriers to cap enforcement • Media rights distribution and financial inequality • How a salary cap could impact foreign investment, player transfers, and global fan engagement
Ultimately, the project aims to answer the question: Would a salary cap improve the Premier League’s long-term competitiveness and financial health—or would it undermine its global dominance and economic model?