For years, two athletes dominated the list of the Top
Highest Paid Athlete with Golfer Tiger Woods landing at position
one for 12 years. However, with Mayweather hanging up his gloves and woods sustaining
numerous injuries, vibrant stars are filling up
the gap. This year, Cristiano Ronaldo ranked as the top highest paid athlete,
with a total earning of $88 million over the past 12 months. Athletes earning
mainly comes from salary, bonuses and endorsements.
Kobe has been the third all-time leading Basketball-scorer
behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. Bryant took the lead in salary in
the NBA for six years consecutively and earned a salary of $25 million and $25
million endorsement, totaling up to $50 million. The NBA champion earned most
of the endorsement deals in favor of being part of some businesses. He retired
at the end of the 2015-2016 seasons and he is expected to work with Kobe Inc.,
which he started in 2013 and buy over 10% of the emerging sports drink
BodyArmor.
Jordan Spieth is among the emerging and vibrant world’s
highest paid athletes having moved from 85th position to the 9th
position this season. The Golf player earned a total $52.8 M, which include
$20.8 million salary and $32 M bonuses. This best result comes from the 2015
massive wins where he won two major titles, including a record-typing-18 at
Masters. He won the FedEx Cup where he earned a $10 million bonus in the fall.
Phil Mickelson is the highest world’s paid Golf player for
the fifth time and has ranked up 42 PGA victories. His break through comes
three years ago at British Open and in the last season, earned a total of $52.9
Million, which compose of $2.9 salaries and $50 M million endorsements. His endorsement
partners include Barclays, Callaway, Exxon Mobil, KPMG, Amgen and Rolex.
Cam Newton is one of the players of the highest paid sport. He
signed a new contract with the panthers in June 2015 and is expected to earn
about $103.8 million over the five years. The football player earned a total of
$53.1M in the last season, which composed of $41.1 M Salary and $12 M endorsements.
Novak Djokovic is the second world’s richest Tennis athletes
having won about $100 million career prize money at the French Open this year
alone. In the 2015-2016 seasons, he earned a salary of $21.8 and endorsement of
$34 million totaling up to $55.8 million. The tennis player has been in
remarkable run he managed to banked $82 million and 11 Grand Slam titles over
the last five years.
Kevin Durant was the hottest agent in the summer where he
scored an average of 27.4 career points per game and is among the best active
players. He is among the richest athletes in one of the highest paid sport. The
basketball player earned a total of $56.2 M in the 2015-2016 season having
earned a salary of $20.2 M and endorsement of $36 M.
Roger Federer is the richest athletes as compare to other
tennis players. It has been four years since the Tennis player win his 17th
Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2012. He emerges to be one of the best paid athletes
in the last season having earned a total of $67.8 M. His earning majorly includes
salary as he earned a total of $60 M in salary and $7.8 M in form of
endorsements.
LeBron James worn six NBA Finals consecutively, an
achievement that no one else has accomplish in the last 50 years since the
dynasty of the Boston Celtics. Although sales of Jame’s signature shoes were
down in the last season, the sales is expected to improve in the near future and
his contract is likely to earn over $1 billion. The highest paid basketball
athlete earned a total of $77.2 M per year, which composes of $ 23.2 M salary and
$ 54 M endorsement.
Lionel Messi is a player of the most popular and word’s
highest paid sport. He worn FIFA’s player of the year award for five years consecutively.
He was the first one to attain the 300 goals target in La Liga and his contract
is loaded with bonuses, which make him one of the richest athletes in the
world. In the last season alone, Messi earned $53.4 salary and $28M endorsement
totaling up to $81.4 M.
10. Kobe Bryant

9. Jordan Spieth

8. Phil Mickelson

7. Cam Newton

6. Novak Djokovic

5. Kevin Durant

4. Roger Federer

3. LeBron James

2. Lionel Messi
