The world's highest-earning athletes of 2016
08 August 2016
How much you earn as a sporting superstar
The highest-earning 100 athletes made an incredible £2.45 billion over the past 12 months – up an amazing 17% year on year. With the Rio Olympics in full swing, we reveal the top 40 highest-paid athletes between May 2015-May 2016, according to Forbes.
40) Serena Williams – Tennis, £22.1m
The world's number one women's tennis player starts off our list of the highest-paid athletes, rising from number 47 in 2015. In fact, the Wimbledon champ is the world’s highest-paid female athlete over the last 12 months – now that’s an accolade. Her salary and winnings totalled a very cool £6.8 million, while her endorsements hit the £15.3 million mark. Watch this space as she defends her number one status at the Olympics.
39) Olivier Vernon – American Football, £22.2m
Newly-signed defensive end for the New York Giants, Olivier Vernon graces the list after signing a five-year£65 million deal that ensures £30.6 million guaranteed. His earnings for the year were £22 million, while his endorsements paid him £153,000.
38) Cliff Lee – Baseball, £22.4m
Cliff Lee jumps up from number 42 on 2015’s list. After missing the entire 2015 season with a torn tendon in his left elbow, the Philadelphia Phillies paid £9.6 million to buy out his contract’s final year. The buyout was the largest in the history of the MLB. The sale saw Lee’s salary/winnings hit £22.3 million on top of his £77,000 endorsement deals.
37) Chris Paul – Basketball, £23m
Chris Paul keeps his spot on the list comfortably this year. The Los Angeles Clippers point guard has been with the team since 2011. His financial success within the team only grew after signing a five-year deal worth £82.1 million in 2013. As the president of the NBA Players Association, the endorsements will keep rolling in. This year his salary totalled £16.4 million and when you add that to his £6.5 million in endorsements, he isn’t doing too badly.
36) Carmelo Anthony – Basketball, £23.6m
Carmelo Anthony’s gross earnings in 2016 total £23.6 million, which is made up of his £17.3 million salary/winnings and £6.1 million in endorsements. The New York Knicks player also soared up the rankings from number 86 on the list in 2015. The NBA star is over halfway through his five-year, £95 million contract. As one of the highest earners off the court for endorsement deals, including Nike’s Jordan Brand, he won’t be short of cash.
35) Drew Brees – American Football, £24.5m
The New Orleans Saints quarterback bagged himself £23.7 million this year, with £14.5 million for his salary and £9.2 million in endorsements. With eight Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl title under his belt, it’s no wonder he’s sponsored by Nike, PepsiCo, Microsoft and more.
Joint 33) Dwyane Wade – Basketball, £24.4m
Newly-signed Chicago Bulls point guard Wade made £24.4 million this year, bagging £9.2 million for his 15 endorsements on top of his £15.3 million salary. Wade’s decision to move to the Bulls shocked the sports world, but the two-year contract adds a cool £36.3 million to his bank account.
Joint 33) Clayton Kershaw – Baseball, £24.4m
In 2014, the LA Dodgers pitcher had the richest-ever pitcher contract at the time, £164 million, with his salary jumping from £3 million to £23 million. This year he made even more, with his salary at £23.8 million and endorsements worth £610,000.
32) Usain Bolt – Track Athlete, £25m
The Jamaican sprinter becomes an even hotter commodity in an Olympic year. He’s made himself £25 million. While his salary is towards the lower end of the Forbes list at £1.9 million his endorsements rake in an incredible £23 million.
31) James Harden – Basketball, £25.1m
Harden bagged £25.1 million this year, thanks to his £12.1 million salary and £13 million in endorsements. The Houston Rockets player’s strong 2014/15 season saw him seal a 13-year deal with Adidas worth up to £153 million. His other sponsors include Foot Locker, Beats and BodyArmor.
30) A.J. Green – American Football, £25.1m
Green signed a four-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals in September 2015 worth £40 million, which only adds to his earning power. He made £25.1 million this year from salary/winnings and around £383,000 in endorsements.
29) Kei Nishikori – Tennis, £25.6m
The first male tennis star to grace the list is Kei Nishikori. As the first Asian player to make a men’s Grand Slam final in 2014, the endorsements keep rolling in. His sponsorship portfolio includes Tag Heuer, Jaguar and Adidas. This year he made £25.6 million, the majority of which were endorsements worth £23 million on top of his £2.7 million salary/winnings.
28) Derrick Rose – Basketball, £26.1m
The New York Knicks point guard is one of the highest NBA earners off the court thanks to his 13-year Adidas deal worth up to £141 million. He made £26.1 million this year with a salary of £15.4 million and endorsements worth £10.7 million.
27) Peyton Manning – American Football, £26.2m
The two-time Super Bowl winner retired in March this year. Since last season, the NFL star made £26.2 million with £14.7 million in winnings and £11.5 million in endorsements. The star retires as a legend in his own right as one of the NFL’s greatest players and as the league’s only ever five-time MVP award winner.
26) Marcell Dareus – American Football, $35.2m (£27m)
The Buffalo Bills obviously couldn’t get enough of Dareus as he signed a £74 million six-year extension with the team. His deal guaranteed him the most money ever – £46 million – for a non-quarterback. The defensive tackler made himself £27 million this year with a whopping salary of £26.9 million and £70,000 in endorsements.
25) Gareth Bale – Football, £27.5m
The first footballer to feature on the list is Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale. Although the Welsh star was injured for part of the 2015/16 season, he still managed to score 19 times in 21 starts. Which is one of the reasons Adidas wants to keep hold of him, signing him up to another six-year contract in 2014 worth an estimated £27 million. This year, Bale bagged £27.5 million thanks to his £19 million salary and £8.4 million endorsements.
24) Fernando Alonso – Motor Racing, £28m
The Spanish F1 driver made £28 million last year, the majority of which came from his £27 million salary, with some nice endorsement deals worth £1.1 million. He doesn't have many money worries as currently working his way through a three-year deal with the McLaren Honda team worth £23 million every year.
23) Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Football, £28.6m
The Swedish striker has just made the move to the richest soccer club in the world – Manchester United. On top of that, he has also struck a new sponsorship deal with Nike for a reported £2.3 million annually. But this year alone, Ibrahimovic made £28.6 million, with £5.3 million in endorsements and £23.3 million from his salary/winnings.
Joint 21) Neymar – Football, £28.7m
The 24-year-old star has bagged himself a five-year contract extension with Barcelona which will keep him there until 2021. His talent on the pitch and innovation online saw him land endorsement deals with Nike, Red Bull, Panasonic and more. This year, his endorsements netted him a cool £17.6 million, while his salary came in at £11 million, making him £28.7 million in total.
Joint 21) Rafael Nadal – Tennis, £28.7m
The Spanish tennis star ended his 10-year streak of Grand Slam wins in 2015. But as that was the longest stint in men’s tennis history it's not likely to hit him too heavily financially. His endorsement portfolio includes Nike, Kia Motors, Banco Sabadell and Tommy Hilfiger. It’s no wonder he made £24.5 million in endorsements last year alone, which added to his £4.2 million in earnings, making him £28.7 million this year.
20) Philip Rivers – American Football, £27.2m
In August 2015, the San Diego Chargers quarterback signed a four-year contract extension worth £63.2 million. It’s no wonder his salary totalled £27.2 million this year, so with his £345,000 in endorsements he made a fabulous £27.54 million.
19) Sebastian Vettel – Motor Racing, £31.4m
The German F1 driver signed of one of the most lucrative contracts in F1 in 2014, penning a three-year deal with Ferrari which pays out more than £30.6 million annually. This year he also bagged £800,000 in endorsements, making him £31.4 million).
18) Russell Wilson – American Football, £32m
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback signed a four-year extension with the team worth £67.1 million in 2015. Because of this, he made £32 million this year, with £24.4 million salary/winnings and £7.6 million in endorsements. He’s known as one of the NFL’s most marketable players, with an endorsement portfolio including Nike, Microsoft and Braun.
17) Rory McIlroy – Golf, £32.6m
The Northern Irish golf pro may have seen his on-course earning fall by £6.9 million this year, but he is still one of the most bankable golfers. As one of Nike’s most prominent endorsement stars, he rakes in nearly £15 million annually. And as the new face of Electronic Arts’ golf video game he isn’t short of partnerships. This year he made £32.6 million, £5.8 million of which was from his salary/winnings and £26.8 million in endorsements.
16) Floyd Mayweather – Boxing, £33.7m
The 49-time undefeated boxer has fallen 15 places since holding the number one position for three of the previous four years. Mayweather says he has retired after defeating Andre Berto in September last year, but he will still be enjoying the success of his career. Over the past 12 months he earned £9.2 million in over a dozen personal appearances during his world tour. His winnings totalled £24.5 million, which saw his total earnings reach £33.7 million.
15) Tom Brady – American Football, £27.6m
The New England Patriots quarterback signed a contract extension in March last year that included a £21.4 million signing bonus. His salary totalled £27.6 million this year, with endorsements of £6.1 million which include UGG Boots and UnderArmor. In total, Brady made £33.7 million over the past 12 months.
14) Joe Flacco – American Football, £34.1m
The Baltimore Ravens quarterback made a fortune in the off season by signing a new three-year contract worth £51 million that will keep him around until 2021. His average salary tops Aaron Rodgers’ previous mark of £17 million as the highest in the NFL. Flacco made himself £34.1 million over the past 12 months alone: £33.7 million was from his salary/winnings and he made £400,000 through endorsements.
13) Eli Manning – American Football, £35m
Manning’s income totalled £35 million over the last 12 months, £28.3 million of which was from his salary/winnings and he also made £6.7 million in endorsements. The two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback proved to be a key player for the squad as he signed an £64 million contract extension in September 2015. His endorsements include Nike, Toyota Motor, Gatorade and Dunkin’ Donuts.
12) Tiger Woods – Golf, £34.7m
Tiger Woods’ endorsements portfolio is an impressive one, built around his 14 Major wins. His partners include Rolex, Upper Deck and Hero MotoCorp with endorsement earnings totalling £34.5 million. Over the past 12 months Woods made only $275,000 (£210,000) through his salary.
11) Lewis Hamilton – Motor Racing, £35.2m
The British F1 driver recently signed a three-year extension contract to his already lucrative deal with Mercedes’ F1 team. The deal could pay out more than £107 million, including bonuses. His talent is unquestionable, which is how he made £32 million through winnings, and his marketability sees him involved with L’Oreal and Monster Energy – part of his £3 million endorsement portfolio. Hamilton made an impressive £35 million overall.
10) Kobe Bryant – Basketball, £38.3m
Now we reach the top 10, and who better to start us off than Kobe. The NBA’s third all-time leading scorer retired with an impressive £521 million in earnings over his two-decade career. With many endorsements under his belt, he has since started investing in companies such as sports drink BodyArmor. Over the past 12 months, the NBA legend made himself £38.3 million, evenly split between his salary and his endorsements.
9) Jordan Spieth – Golf, £40.4m
In 2015, the PGA star became the youngest US Open champion at 23 years of age. His status as the world number one triggered many lucrative bonuses from endorsement partners like Under Armour and Titleist. His winnings totalled £15.9 million, while his endorsements made him £24.5 million, which saw him earn a whopping £40.4 million over the past 12 months.
8) Phil Mickelson – Golf, £40.5m
The PGA star bagged himself £40.5 million over the past 12 months, with £38.3 million from endorsements including Callaway, Barclays, Rolex and Amgen. The 42-time PGA tour event winner also made £2.2 million from his salary/winnings.
7) Cam Newton – American Football, £40.7m
Newton signed a new contract with the Carolina Panthers in June 2015 worth £79.6 million over five years. The quarterback won the MVP award and is now the new face of the NFL which can only add to his marketability. He earned the spot of top-paid NFL endorser with his Under Armour extension deal. He made himself $53.1m (£40.7m) this year: £31.5 million was made from his salary and he received £9.2 million from endorsements.
6) Novak Djokovic – Tennis £42.7m
The world number one made more than £15.3 million in prize money during the 2015 season – the first player ever to do so. Over the past 12 months Djokovic, made £42.7 million, gaining £16.7 million through his salary/winnings and he also made £26 million through his endorsement partners, which include Adidas, ANZ, Peugot and Seiko.
5) Kevin Durant – Basketball, £43m
Durant’s major money deal is with Nike, which is worth as much as £230 million over 10 years from 2014. The Golden State Warriors player earned £43 million this year, with £27.5 million from endorsements and £15.5 million from his salary/winnings.
4) Roger Federer – Tennis, £52m
Federer is the top-earning tennis player off the court, with a cool £46 million in endorsement earnings from companies including Nike, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz and Credit Suisse. During his 18-year career the tennis legend has won £75 million in prize money. This year alone he has pocketed £6 million on the court.
3) LeBron James – Basketball, £77.2m
'King James' was signed to the first-ever lifetime contract with Nike at the end of 2015. And with a 2016 NBA title for the Cleveland Cavaliers, his popularity will only soar. He made an incredible £59.2 million over the past year, £17.8 million of which was from his salary/winnings, and the rest from endorsements
2) Lionel Messi – Football, £62.4m
The five-time FIFA player of the year made himself £62.4 million over the past 12 months. The soccer star is still the reigning Ballon d’Or winner which only makes him a more lucrative asset. He made £40.9 million from his salary and £21.5 million from his many endorsements.
1) Cristiano Ronaldo – Football, £67.4m
And here is 2016’s winner! He’s the world’s most popular athlete which helps him land multiple sponsorships from the likes of Nike, Tag Heuer and Sacoor Brothers. His £38.3 million-a-year salary with Real Madrid won’t run out until 2018 either. This year he made an astounding £67.5 million, with £42.9 million from his salary/winnings and £24.4 million in endorsements. He's in a league of his own!
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