Top Earning US athletes

[troutman]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.html?cnn=yes

Should have been an agent.:(

It's no surprise to see the familiar names at the top of the list. The most obvious? Tiger Woods has reached an otherworldly plateau of nearly $112 million. Boxing is back from the dead for now, thanks to No. 2 Oscar De La Hoya, and the Shaq and Kobe rivalry lives on.

Half the list is made up of NBA players, while only 12 baseball players and five football players made the cut. There were three NASCAR drivers and just one woman (welcome, Michelle Wie!). Meanwhile, our International 20 (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.20.html) list of the top-earning non-American athletes is dominated by soccer players, of whom there are nine, including Major League Soccer-bound David Beckham.

[Slava]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.html?cnn=yes

Should have been an agent.:(

It's no surprise to see the familiar names at the top of the list. The most obvious? Tiger Woods has reached an otherworldly plateau of nearly $112 million. Boxing is back from the dead for now, thanks to No. 2 Oscar De La Hoya, and the Shaq and Kobe rivalry lives on.

Half the list is made up of NBA players, while only 12 baseball players and five football players made the cut. There were three NASCAR drivers and just one woman (welcome, Michelle Wie!). Meanwhile, our International 20 (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.20.html) list of the top-earning non-American athletes is dominated by soccer players, of whom there are nine, including Major League Soccer-bound David Beckham.


Don't worry...if I can push and pressure my daughter into becoming a pro-golfer then we'll have you as our first candidate to be her agent!

[Prototype]

If I ever make it onto the World Poker Tour, I'm calling you Troutie!

[Bobblehead]

12 Baseball players and 5 of those are Yankees. And Rocket Roger isn't even included there yet.

Edit:And that also doesn't include Matsui who is on the International list.

[Locke]

Wow, go Ronaldinho, that guy is a monster.

[the_only_turek_fan]

I can't believe people make that kind of money. It makes my salary seem like nothing.

[troutman]

I can't believe people make that kind of money. It makes my salary seem like nothing.

Yes, my decision not to be famous has cost me $ millions.:(

[the_only_turek_fan]

I just went through the whole list. The one name that really stood out to me was that a 3 time super bowl champion was 47th on that list. Isn't the NFL the highest grossing sport out of the big 4? It seemed they had the least number of guys on that list.

[OILFAN #81]

I just went through the whole list. The one name that really stood out to me was that a 3 time super bowl champion was 47th on that list. Isn't the NFL the highest grossing sport out of the big 4? It seemed they had the least number of guys on that list.

Golfers and Basketball Players get so many endorsement deals though to market their products in comparison to football players though. There are way more Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade ads out there then most NFL players right now (Peyton may be the lone exception). It seems like bball players are in commercials for everything when you turn on the tv, plus the basketball shoes etc. Basketball shoe endorsement deals are through the roof compared to football wear as well. Alot of the top 10 guys are basketball players/golfers because of there endorsement deals.

[Bobblehead]

Then there is the thing where footbal players play far fewer games in the season and there are 53 players on the roster, as opposed to BBall with, what around 10? Finally, BBall players get to show more individual skill. Outside of a QB, an NFL player is in on the play (as far as the focus goes) for a few minutes of every game.

In my mind none of these are entitled to earn more than doctors, but until doctors get crazy crowds and TV contracts, that is the way it will be.

[troutman]

I just went through the whole list. The one name that really stood out to me was that a 3 time super bowl champion was 47th on that list. Isn't the NFL the highest grossing sport out of the big 4? It seemed they had the least number of guys on that list.

Could it have something to do with NFL players playing 16 games, and NBA players playing 80 games?

[habernac]

Tom Brady is also known for turning down endorsement deals. He could probably be even higher on the list (though his squeaky clean image has taken a hit as of late)

[troutman]

Tom Brady is also known for turning down endorsement deals. He could probably be even higher on the list (though his squeaky clean image has taken a hit as of late)

Tom has also agreed to restructure his contract a couple of times to help the Pats with the salary cap.

[Bobblehead]

Tom Brady is also known for turning down endorsement deals. He could probably be even higher on the list (though his squeaky clean image has taken a hit as of late)

Haven't you heard? He, a grown man, is showing the maturity of a hormone-driven teenager. Tom Brady apparently has no regard for traditional virtue or Biblical morality
or this gem:
I find myself asking the same question, what kind of world is this? Many millions of small, adoring fans look up to Brady only to find him chasing models, fathering children out of wedlock, and unashamedly engaging in an immoral lifestyle. link (http://thompson07.com/news/?p=19)

Good luck, I'm sure this will help your Massachusetts Congressional campaign.

(The comments are truly scary)

[HOOT]

I wonder what it feels like to cash a $100,000,000 check from Nike...oh Tiger how I wish I could live your life for 24 hours.

[Clever_Iggy]

I wonder what it feels like to cash a $100,000,000 check from Nike...oh Tiger how I wish I could live your life for 24 hours.

Have you seen his wife - I wouldnt need 24 hours. :bag:

[Caged Great]

Have you seen his wife - I wouldnt need 24 hours. :bag:

24 seconds? :ph34r:

[HOOT]

Have you seen his wife - I wouldnt need 24 hours. :bag:


LOL Very true...is it true she has a twin?

[CrusaderPi]

LOL Very true...is it true she has a twin?
She does in my head... now.

[Vulcan]

Plus the NFL has the tightest salary cap in all of sport.

Plus their union was broken.

[Cowboy89]

Plus their union was broken.

Also it costs much less to run a basketball organization compared to a football team. A football team has close to 30 guys who start every night, backups and a practice roster. There's a coach for pretty much every position. Due to the rough nature of the sport there's a rediculous amount of doctors employed by a football team as well. Equipment costs are a load more than basketball. Each one of those helmets costs close to US$500 when it's all said and done. Basketball teams have maybe 12 regular roster players with 7 of them making chump change relatively speaking and a taxi squad of a few players that really don't make any money either.

[burn_baby_burn]

Basketball shoe endorsement deals are through the roof compared to football wear as well.

Its weard how kids don't want to walk around the streets in cleats isn't it?

I wonder if they estimated Michael Vicks income from dog fighting?

[fredr123]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/18920452

On the topic of endorsements, Darren Rovell (halfway down the page) talks about Coca-Cola's purchase of Vitaminwater for $4.1 Billion dollars and how that may give David Wright (who?) the largest single payouts for a single endorsement deal in history.

[HOOT]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/18920452

On the topic of endorsements, Darren Rovell (halfway down the page) talks about Coca-Cola's purchase of Vitaminwater for $4.1 Billion dollars and how that may give David Wright (who?) the largest single payouts for a single endorsement deal in history.


Are they talking about th Mets 3rd baseman? I didn't know he was that big of a "superstar" to get that type of contract...because I am pretty sure, but could be wrong, that Tiger and LeBron both got $100M+ contracts....and there is no way David Wright is bigger than them.

[Dion]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.html?cnn=yes

Should have been an agent.:(

I'd settle for being Tiger Woods caddy.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I just went through the whole list. The one name that really stood out to me was that a 3 time super bowl champion was 47th on that list. Isn't the NFL the highest grossing sport out of the big 4? It seemed they had the least number of guys on that list.

At least twice, and sometimes as much as 4.5 times the number of players on each team, with similar team salary structures.

That's why NFL players are paid less on average.

[fredr123]

Are they talking about th Mets 3rd baseman? I didn't know he was that big of a "superstar" to get that type of contract...because I am pretty sure, but could be wrong, that Tiger and LeBron both got $100M+ contracts....and there is no way David Wright is bigger than them.

He's not a big name. That's why it was noteworthy. I think the article makes the point better than I did. Tiger and LeBron have huge endorsement deals but I think those $100M+ figures are over a certain number of years.

[BlackEleven]

The list only includes US citizens. I wonder what worldwide rankings would look like? Tiger's probably still close to the top, but I imagine some soccer players and probably some of the F1 drivers, would make high on the list.

[HOOT]

The list only includes US citizens. I wonder what worldwide rankings would look like? Tiger's probably still close to the top, but I imagine some soccer players and probably some of the F1 drivers, would make high on the list.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.20.html

What exactly do you spend $35,000,000 a year on...if these people do any type of investing generations after them will never ever have to work. Ever.

[BlackEleven]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.20.html

What exactly do you spend $35,000,000 a year on...if these people do any type of investing generations after them will never ever have to work. Ever.

Looks like I was right about F1. I'm sure Hamilton will be up there ahead of them all soon enough if he keeps going at this pace. I guess Beckham will be number one next year though with his $50M MLS salary .

So combine the lists and Alonso would slot in at #4, tied with Shaq.