These athletes make more money through endorsements than sports
A look at the world of sport’s top paid athletes by contract.
Forbes recently released its list of the highest-paid athletes in the world but some of the most well-known players actually make more from endorsements than the sports they play.
Tennis star Roger Federer, whose fifth on the list, took in $7.4 million in salary/winnings but $86 million in endorsements. Federer has partnerships with Rolex, Credit Suisse and Mercedes-Benz. He recently signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with Uniqlo, proving he’s a force in marketing.
NBA superstar LeBron James, who was the NBA’s highest-paid player in 2019, had $35.7 million in salary/bonuses and $53 million in endorsements. James has a lengthy endorsement portfolio. He owns his own production and media companies. He is also an investor in Blaze Pizza. His endorsements include Coca Cola, Nike and Beats by Dre.
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Golf star Tiger Woods, who has held the top spot 12 times previously, took in $9.9 million in salary/winnings but a whopping $54 million in endorsements. Woods has earned more than $1 billion in endorsements since 1996. Some of his sponsorships include Nike, TaylorMade and Bridgestone.
Fellow golfer Phil Mickelson also took in a staggering $36 million from endorsements while earning $12.4 million in his salary/earnings. Mickelson, a popular pitchman, has partnerships with Amgen, Rolex and ExxonMobil.
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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, ranked sixth on the list, earned most of his money from his salary/winnings. MLB superstar Mike Trout was the highest earned baseball player on the list. He earned the majority of his money from his salary ($47.6 million) versus his endorsements ($3 million).
Absent from the list of those who make more from endorsements is the year’s highest-paid athlete – Lionel Messi. The soccer superstar, who clocked in with $127 million in earnings, has a salary/winnings of $92 million and $35 million in endorsements, according to Forbes.