Tag: Highest-paid Athletes

Jon Rahm is the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2023 after move to LIV Golf

Rahm is among the world’s richest athletes.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund hasn’t been afraid to dish out money to lure the top PGA Tour stars to come and play for LIV Golf.

Jon Rahm is no exception. In fact, he’s the new bar.

Although an exact figure has yet to be determined, estimates on how much Rahm was paid to leave the PGA Tour were in the $400 million to $600 million range. The Telegraph reported the most precise number at $566 million, with $302 million being paid upfront.

Those figures would move Rahm, the defending Masters champion and 11-time PGA Tour winner, into an upper echelon of athletes earning more than $500 million in their career. He would be the youngest at 29.

Moreover, if the estimates of Rahm’s signing bonus are true, he would be the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2023, according to Forbes.

Soccer players Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian MBappe are at the top of the list with combined earnings on and off the field of $136 million, $130 million and $120 million, respectively. Forbes lists the top-50 athletes, with 15 of those being from the NBA.

Even if that $302 million number was cut in half, Rahm would still be at the top.

The highest-paid golfers this year before Rahm’s signing were a pair of American LIV golfers, Dustin Johnson ($107 million) and Phil Mickelson ($106 million).

Rahm had previously said $400 million wouldn’t change his way of life when previously asked about moving to LIV Golf. However, he admitted money is one of the reasons he went.

“I mean, I’m not going to sit here and lie to you,” Rahm said. “It’s definitely one of the reasons.

“Every decision I feel like we make in life there will be somebody who agrees and likes it and somebody who doesn’t, right. I made this decision because I believe it’s the best for me and my family and everybody I’ve been able to talk to has been really supportive of me,” Rahm continued. “So I’m very comfortable with my decision. I’m no stranger to hearing some negative things on social media or in media. It’s part of what it is, we’re public figures but you just learn to deal with it right? This certainly won’t define who I am or change who I am.”

However, the number of zeros at the end of his bank statement just went up astronomically.

Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson on Forbes list of 10 highest-paid athletes of 2023

DJ and Lefty are cashing some big checks.

The move to the LIV Golf League has deepened the pockets of Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

On Tuesday, Forbes announced its list of the top-10 highest-paid athletes of 2023, and Johnson and Mickelson each make an appearance. That shouldn’t be a surprise, considering LIV is funded by the Public Investment Fund in Saudi Arabia and each golfer got huge signing bonuses when deciding to leave the PGA Tour and join the breakaway circuit.

However, that additional money has them being compensated with the likes of the most elite athletes in the world.

Johnson is sixth on the list, earning $107 million this year. All but $5 million of that is from on-course earnings. Last year, Forbes reported Johnson made $29 million off the field, but sponsors weren’t too keen with Johnson and others signing with LIV Golf.

Johnson made a LIV-best $35.6 million in prize money, including $18 million for winning the season-long individual championship.

Mickelson comes in seventh on the list, earning $106 million. All but $2 million came in on-course earnings. He earned $1.6 million for his T-2 at the Masters last month. He ranked 31st on last year’s list with $45.3 million earned.

Topping the list is soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, with Lionel Messi in second and Kylian Mbappe in third.

Behind Mickelson in eighth is basketball star Stephen Curry.

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7 boxers on list of 50 highest-paid athletes of all time, led by No. 8 Floyd Mayweather

Seven boxers are on a Sportico list of the 50 highest-paid athletes of all time, led by No. 8 Floyd Mayweather at $1.41 billion.

Boxers have always been among the highest-paid athletes. A Sportico report confirms that.

Seven boxers made the sports business media outlet’s list of the 50 highest-paid athletes of all time, including income from salary, purses, endorsements and other sources that is adjusted for inflation. That’s 14%, or around one in seven athletes on the list.

Floyd Mayweather is the highest-ranking boxer at No. 8, with $1.41 billion in earnings ($1.11 billion non-inflation adjusted).

Other boxers on the list are:

  • 16 Mike Tyson, $875 million ($455 million)
  • 21 Manny Pacquiao, $725 million ($560 million)
  • 24 George Foreman, $680 million ($355 million)
  • 27 Oscar De La hoya, $665 million ($410.3 million)
  • 38 Evander Holyfield, $600 million ($310.2 million)
  • 48 Canelo Alvarez, $525 million ($460 million)

Alvarez, 32, remains active, meaning he presumably will climb the list in the coming years.

Former National Basketball Assocation star Michael Jordan is No. 1 with $3.3 billion ($2.37 billion) in earnings. The NBA has 13 players on the list, more than any other sport.

Sportico explained how it arrived at its figures:

“Our earnings estimates are based on conversations with industry insiders. Sportico research and historical estimates in media outlets, such as Forbes and Sports Illustrated. Earnings include salaries, bonuses, prize money, purses, endorsements licensing, royalties, memorabilia, book deals, media, appearances and golf course design fees. We included cash earned from equity stakes in sponsor companies, like LeBron James’ stake in Beats Electronics, Kevin Durant’s share of Postmates and James Harden’s piece of BodyArmor.

“We did not factor in traditional investment income. Sportico included earnings during playing careers and retirement through 2022 and adjusted them for inflation. Earnings are calculated up until the time of death for Arnold Palmer and Kobe Bryant. All earnings are pre-tax and before any fees for agents and lawyers.”

7 boxers on list of 50 highest-paid athletes of all time, led by No. 8 Floyd Mayweather

Seven boxers are on a Sportico list of the 50 highest-paid athletes of all time, led by No. 8 Floyd Mayweather at $1.41 billion.

Boxers have always been among the highest-paid athletes. A Sportico report confirms that.

Seven boxers made the sports business media outlet’s list of the 50 highest-paid athletes of all time, including income from salary, purses, endorsements and other sources that is adjusted for inflation. That’s 14%, or around one in seven athletes on the list.

Floyd Mayweather is the highest-ranking boxer at No. 8, with $1.41 billion in earnings ($1.11 billion non-inflation adjusted).

Other boxers on the list are:

  • 16 Mike Tyson, $875 million ($455 million)
  • 21 Manny Pacquiao, $725 million ($560 million)
  • 24 George Foreman, $680 million ($355 million)
  • 27 Oscar De La hoya, $665 million ($410.3 million)
  • 38 Evander Holyfield, $600 million ($310.2 million)
  • 48 Canelo Alvarez, $525 million ($460 million)

Alvarez, 32, remains active, meaning he presumably will climb the list in the coming years.

Former National Basketball Assocation star Michael Jordan is No. 1 with $3.3 billion ($2.37 billion) in earnings. The NBA has 13 players on the list, more than any other sport.

Sportico explained how it arrived at its figures:

“Our earnings estimates are based on conversations with industry insiders. Sportico research and historical estimates in media outlets, such as Forbes and Sports Illustrated. Earnings include salaries, bonuses, prize money, purses, endorsements licensing, royalties, memorabilia, book deals, media, appearances and golf course design fees. We included cash earned from equity stakes in sponsor companies, like LeBron James’ stake in Beats Electronics, Kevin Durant’s share of Postmates and James Harden’s piece of BodyArmor.

“We did not factor in traditional investment income. Sportico included earnings during playing careers and retirement through 2022 and adjusted them for inflation. Earnings are calculated up until the time of death for Arnold Palmer and Kobe Bryant. All earnings are pre-tax and before any fees for agents and lawyers.”

Why Seahawk Russell Wilson left off Forbes highest-paid athletes list

Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson ranked No. 6 in Forbes’ highest-paid athletes of 2019 – here’s why he has fallen off the list in 2020.

Forbes recently came out with their list of the world’s highest-paid athletes and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is no longer on the list.

A total of 31 NFL players made the cut – including Seahawks linebacker  Bobby Wagner – based on a culmination of salaries, bonuses, endorsements, etc.

Here’s Forbes’ explanation for Wilson’s dive in 2020.

“Russell Wilson had the biggest fall,” writes Kurt Badenhausen. “The Seattle Seahawks signal caller ranked No. 6 last year with $80 million, thanks to a blockbuster April 2019 deal that included a $65 million signing bonus, but was a no-show in 2020, with earnings of $15 million, including $10 million off the field. Seattle deferred $35 million of the bonus to 2020, but we credited the QB with the full $65 million on the 2019 list of top earners.”

Forbes listed Wagner at No. 74 on the list with 2020 earnings slated at $25 million as of May 22. $500,000 of that total comes as a result of his sponsorship deals with BodyArmor and Nike.

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Floyd Mayweather tops Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes in decade

Floyd Mayweather earned $915 million in the decade, more than any other athlete in the world, according to Forbes.

Never has Floyd Mayweather’s nickname been more appropriate.

“Money” earned more cash than any other athlete in the world over the past decade, according to Forbes Magazine.

Mayweather made $915 million during that period, $115 million more than the next highest-paid athlete, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. And remember: Mayweather fought only once – against MMA star Conor McGregor – after 2015, which means he left a lot of money on the table.

The former five-division titleholder reportedly made a good portion of his total – around $500 million – in two fights, against rival Manny Pacquiao in 2015 and against McGregor. Those fights generated more than 9 million pay-per-view buys.

Forbes reported that Mayweather generated $1.7 billion in pay-per-view revenue in his last 15 fights, beginning with Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.

His march toward ungodly riches began when he split with promoter Top Rank in 2006 and started his own company, Mayweather Promotions. He had to pay $750,000 to opt out of his contract. He soon dropped his “Pretty Boy Floyd” nickname, adopted “Money” and then made financial history.

Pacquiao landed at No. 8 on Forbes’ list for the decade at $435 million. No sport had more than two representatives on the list. According to Forbes, Pacquiao generated 20 million buys and around $1.3 billion in 25 pay-per-view fights.

What did Mayweather have to say about the news? He Tweeted simply, “Congratulations to every athlete on this list!”

Here is the Top 10:

$915 million – Floyd Mayweather (boxing)
$800 million – Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer)
$750 million – Lionel Messi (soccer)
$680 million – LeBron James (basketball)
$640 million – Roger Federer (tennis)
$615 million – Tiger Woods (golf)
$480 million – Phil Mickelson (golf)
$435 million – Manny Pacquiao (boxing)
$425 million – Kevin Durant (basketball)
$400 million – Lewis Hamilton (car racing)