The cash prize is a hefty drop from the potential $410,942 the players would have banked if they brought the trophy home. But after their dream of winning the Cricket World Cup was dashed by the triumphant Australians last night, and so the team will share a $2.322 million runners-up prize fund.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) offers a total US$10 million [$13.2 million] prize fund across the tournament, an increase of 25 per cent from the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
If the Black Caps had won last night's game the squad would have scooped a $5.333 million jackpot - a whopping $355,543 each - because of their unbeaten run to the final. But because the Australians lost two games before reaching the final, the men in the gold and green will share out a $4.972 million cash prize.
The Black Caps won $2.322 million in the runners up prize, but will add US$45,000 for each of the six pool games the team won - topping up the money pile by an additional US$270,000 or $358,640.
Split between the 15 players, that's $178,740 each.
In addition, each Black Caps player will get $3500 per game played from New Zealand Cricket as part of its agreement with the Players' Association. That means players like captain Brendon McCullum, who played in each of the team's nine games, will take home $210,240.
The same calculation with the winning prize money, brought their earnings to $410,942.
That's on top of their salaries this year, which range from $195,000 for the top-ranked player to $80,000 for the bottom ranked.
It's believed skipper McCullum is the top earner, followed by batsmen Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson and pace bowler Tim Southee.
But it is not yet known whether the players, who grabbed the world's attention with their remarkable sportsmanship on the field, will continue that trend off the field, and split the winnings 16 ways - to ensure coaching staff receive a portion, as in previous years.
Players' Association boss Heath Mills said he had not "had that chat yet" with the players, but previously told the Herald on Sunday that he "would imagine they'd be keen to do that".
"The prize money is significant but it's reflective of how much value there is in this tournament," he said earlier this month.
"There are significant commercial returns for the ICC and its member boards so it's only fair and right that the players share in that return."
The potential earnings dwarf those of the All Blacks, who pocketed a $100,000 bonus from the New Zealand Rugby Union for winning the 2011 Rugby World Cup, on top of their $7500 weekly fee and retainers.
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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP PRIZE MONEY:
* Should a team at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 win the tournament without losing a match, it will receive total prize money of US$4,020,000 [$5,333,325].
* A team that loses one match on the way to winning the tournament will receive US$3,975,000 [$5,273,623].
* The breakdown of the prize money is:
Winner - US$3,750,000 [$4,972,931]
Runner-up - US$1,750,000 [$2,322,462]
Losing semi-finalists (two) - US$600,000 [$795,459]
Losing quarter-finalists (four) - US$300,000 [$397,681]
Winner of each Group match - US$45,000 x 42 [$59,652]
Teams eliminated after group stage - US$35,000 x 6 teams [$46,396]
TOTAL - US$10,000,000 [$13.268 million]
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CALCULATING THE BLACK CAPS' EARNINGS:
* Runners up winnings: US$1,750,000 [$2,322,462].
* Plus US$45,000 for each of the pool games won = US$270,000 [$358,640].
* $2,322,462 + $358,640 = $2,681,102.
* Split by 15 = $178,740 each.
* Players receive a further $3500 for every match played. New Zealand played a total of nine matches, which adds a further $31,500 to the $178,740 prize money = $210, 240.
By Patrice Dougan of NZME. News Service
