The 10 highest-paid athletes in 2024 have not only excelled in their respective sports but have also capitalized on their global fame through endorsements and business ventures. Their success demonstrates the critical role of personal branding in modern sports, allowing these athletes to secure lucrative sponsorships and build ventures beyond the field or court. Alongside their athletic achievements, many have negotiated massive contracts with teams, further boosting their earning potential.
Among the top 10, athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominate soccer and boast massive social media followings, with Ronaldo leading with over 600 million Instagram followers. The highest-paid athletes come from various sports, including soccer, basketball, and golf, with Jon Rahm becoming one of the highest earners after joining LIV Golf. Interestingly, some, like LeBron James (now 40 years old) and Roger Federer (retired), are past their athletic peak but continue to command impressive incomes thanks to their branding power and endorsements. On the other hand, younger stars like Kylian Mbappé, at just 25, are climbing the ranks with their combination of talent and commercial appeal
10 highest-paid athletes
Here’s the updated list of the top 10 highest-paid athletes, with details on their social media followings:
Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer) – $260 million
- On-field: $200 million (from Al-Nassr)
- Off-field: $60 million (endorsements from Nike, Herbalife, and his own CR7 brand)
- Social media: Over 600 million followers on Instagram, making him the most followed athlete in the world.
Jon Rahm (Golf) – $218 million
- On-field: $198 million (LIV Golf)
- Off-field: $20 million (endorsements from Callaway, Rolex, and Mercedes)
- Social media: While Rahm’s focus is more on performance, his influence is growing with over 500,000 followers on Instagram.
Lionel Messi (Soccer) – $135 million
- On-field: $65 million (from Inter Miami)
- Off-field: $70 million (endorsements from Adidas, Pepsi, and Apple)
- Social media: Over 480 million followers on Instagram, making him one of the most influential athletes globally.
LeBron James (Basketball) – $128.2 million
- On-court: $48.2 million (from the LA Lakers)
- Off-court: $80 million (endorsements from Nike, PepsiCo, and various business ventures)
- Social media: LeBron boasts over 160 million followers on Instagram, maintaining his global presence off the court.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Basketball) – $111 million
- On-court: $46 million (from the Milwaukee Bucks)
- Off-court: $65 million (endorsements from Nike, Pepsi, and his production company)
- Social media: Giannis has over 15 million followers on Instagram, reflecting his rising global fame.
Kylian Mbappé (Soccer) – $110 million
- On-field: $90 million (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Off-field: $20 million (endorsements from Nike, Hublot, and Oakley)
- Social media: Mbappé is followed by over 105 million people on Instagram, further amplifying his marketability.
Neymar Jr. (Soccer) – $108 million
- On-field: $80 million (Al Hilal)
- Off-field: $28 million (endorsements from Puma and Red Bull)
- Social media: Neymar has over 215 million Instagram followers, making him a huge digital influencer.
Canelo Álvarez (Boxing) – $110 million
- His earnings are a mix of fight purses and endorsements from DAZN and Hennessy.
- Social media: Canelo has over 15 million Instagram followers, solidifying his appeal in and out of the ring.
Dustin Johnson (Golf) – $107 million
- His income mainly comes from LIV Golf, plus endorsements with TaylorMade and Adidas.
- Social media: Johnson maintains a modest online presence with around 1 million Instagram followers.
Stephen Curry (Basketball) – $100.4 million
- On-court: $48.4 million (from the Golden State Warriors)
- Off-court: $52 million (endorsements from Under Armour, Chase, and others)
- Social media: Curry has over 55 million followers across Instagram and Twitter, making him one of the most followed NBA players.
These athletes not only excel in their respective sports but also wield significant influence through their massive social media followings
Breaking it down by the highest paid athlete by sport
Soccer (Football)
Cristiano Ronaldo – $260 million
- On-field: $200 million (Al-Nassr)
- Off-field: $60 million (endorsements with Nike, Herbalife, and CR7)
- Social media: Over 600 million followers on Instagram.
Lionel Messi – $135 million
- On-field: $65 million (Inter Miami)
- Off-field: $70 million (endorsements with Adidas, Pepsi, Apple)
- Social media: Over 480 million followers on Instagram.
Kylian Mbappé – $110 million
On-field: $90 million (Paris Saint-Germain)
Off-field: $20 million (endorsements with Nike, Hublot)
Social media: Over 105 million followers on Instagram
Basketball (NBA)
LeBron James – $128.2 million
- On-court: $48.2 million (LA Lakers)
- Off-court: $80 million (endorsements with Nike, PepsiCo)
- Social media: Over 160 million followers on Instagram.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – $111 million
- On-court: $46 million (Milwaukee Bucks)
- Off-court: $65 million (endorsements with Nike, Pepsi)
- Social media: Over 15 million followers on Instagram.
Stephen Curry – $100.4 million
- On-court: $48.4 million (Golden State Warriors)
- Off-court: $52 million (endorsements with Under Armour, Chase)
- Social media: Over 55 million followers across platforms
Golf
Jon Rahm – $218 million
- On-field: $198 million (LIV Golf)
- Off-field: $20 million (endorsements with Callaway, Rolex)
- Social media: Over 500,000 followers on Instagram.
Dustin Johnson – $107 million
- On-field: Mostly from LIV Golf
- Off-field: (endorsements with TaylorMade, Adidas)
- Social media: 1 million Instagram followers.
Phil Mickelson – $106 million
- On-field: Earnings from LIV Golf
- Off-field: Multiple endorsements including Callaway
- Social media: Active on social media, though less prominent than others
Tennis
Carlos Alcaraz – $40 million (estimated)
- On-court: Winnings from Grand Slams and tournaments
- Off-court: Endorsements from Nike, Rolex
- Social media: Gaining prominence rapidly with millions of followers.
Novak Djokovic – $35 million
- On-court: Tournament winnings
- Off-court: Endorsements with Asics, Lacoste
- Social media: Over 11 million Instagram followers.
Iga Świątek – $20 million
- On-court: WTA earnings
- Off-court: Endorsements with Asics, Red Bull
- Social media: Over 1 million followers
Formula 1 (Auto Racing)
Max Verstappen – $65 million
- On-track: F1 earnings from Red Bull Racing
- Off-track: Endorsements with brands like Tag Heuer
- Social media: Over 10 million followers.
Lewis Hamilton – $60 million
- On-track: Mercedes earnings
- Off-track: Endorsements with Tommy Hilfiger, Monster
- Social media: Over 32 million followers on Instagram.
Charles Leclerc – $40 million
- On-track: Ferrari earnings
- Off-track: Endorsements with Richard Mille, Giorgio Armani
- Social media: 8 million Instagram followers
NFL (American Football)
Patrick Mahomes – $55 million
- On-field: Salary from Kansas City Chiefs
- Off-field: Endorsements with Oakley, State Farm
- Social media: Over 5 million followers across platforms.
Joe Burrow – $50 million
- On-field: Cincinnati Bengals
- Off-field: Endorsements with Nike, Bose
- Social media: Over 3 million followers.
Lamar Jackson – $48 million
- On-field: Baltimore Ravens contract extension
- Off-field: Endorsements with Oakley
- Social media: Over 3 million followers
How the highest paid athletes compare with the highest paid celebrities
Taylor Swift remains one of the highest-paid musicians in the world in 2024, reportedly earning $260 million. This is up from $200 million in 2022, largely driven by her Eras Tour, which has broken records globally. Swift also boasts a huge social media following with over 250 million Instagram followers and 94 million followers on Twitter
Net worth of richest athletes of all time
Athletes have built tremendous worth from their athletic performance and personal brands they have created
Athletes are among the most highly paid individuals in the world, thanks to their incredible talents and the global popularity of their respective sports. However, some of these highest-paid athletes have managed to accumulate a wealth that is truly staggering, rivalling that of the wealthiest businesspeople and celebrities. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the wealthiest athletes in history, including their net worth and how they made their fortunes.
Michael Jordan:
With a net worth of $2.1 billion, Michael Jordan is widely considered the wealthiest athlete of all time. He made his fortune through a combination of salary and endorsements, as well as his ownership stake in the Charlotte Hornets. During his playing days, Jordan was always one of the highest-paid athletes, earning over $230 million in salary from the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. Moreover, his endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, Gatorade, and Hanes have made him one of the highest-paid athletes in history.
Tiger Woods:
With a net worth of $800 million, Tiger Woods is one of the wealthiest golfers of all time. He has earned over $120 million in prize money throughout his career, and his endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, Rolex, and Gatorade have made him one of the highest-paid athletes in history. Additionally, Woods has also been successful in the business world, and his golf course design company has been involved in the development of several high-profile golf courses around the world.
Serena Williams:
Serena Williams has a net worth of $320 million. Throughout her career, she has earned over $90 million in prize money and has endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, Gatorade, and JPMorgan Chase. Williams also has her own clothing line and has invested in various companies like Daily Harvest, The Honest Company and MasterClass.
Michael Schumacher:
Michael Schumacher is considered one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time and had a net worth of $800 million. He earned over $1 billion in salary and endorsements during his career, and also has a successful business career with a motorcycle dealership and several other ventures.
Roger Federer:
With a net worth of $450 million, Roger Federer is considered one of the wealthiest tennis players of all time. He has earned over $120 million in prize money throughout his career, and his endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, Rolex, and Credit Suisse have made him one of the highest-paid athletes in history.
LeBron James:
With a net worth of $450 million, LeBron James is considered one of the wealthiest basketball players of all time. He has earned over $400 million in salary and endorsements during his career, and has invested in various businesses such as Blaze Pizza, Liverpool FC and McDonald’s.
Cristiano Ronaldo:
Cristiano Ronaldo has a net worth of $500 million. He has earned over $500 million in salary and endorsements during his career, and has invested in various businesses such as hotels, clothing lines and a fashion line.
Floyd Mayweather:
Floyd Mayweather has a net worth of $500 million. He has earned over $800 million in prize money and endorsement deals during his career as a professional boxer.
Lionel Messi:
Lionel Messi has a net worth of $400 million. He has earned over $800 million in salary and endorsements during his career, and has invested in various businesses such as a hotel and a sports-related venture.
Neymar Jr.:
Neymar Jr. has a net worth of $200 million. He has earned over $500 million in salary and endorsements during his career, and has invested in various businesses such as a hotel and a sports-related venture
How the major sports leagues compare
The NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL are all major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. They each have a large following, but the NFL is generally considered the most popular league in North America. The NFL has the highest television ratings and the largest overall viewership of any sports league in the US. The NBA comes in second, followed by MLB and NHL.
When it comes to TV ratings, the NFL dominates the other leagues with an average of 15.8 million viewers per game during the 2020 regular season. This is nearly double the average viewership of the NBA, which had 8.2 million viewers per game. MLB averaged 4.3 million viewers per game, while the NHL had an average of 1.5 million viewers per game.
Attendance is also higher for NFL games compared to the other leagues.
In the 2020 regular season, NFL games had an average attendance of 66,448, while NBA games had an average attendance of 17,987. MLB games had an average attendance of 23,175, and NHL games had an average attendance of 17,934.
In terms of revenue, the NFL is also the most profitable league, generating over $15 billion in revenue in 2019. The NBA generated $8.3 billion in revenue, MLB generated $10.7 billion, and the NHL generated $4.5 billion.
When compared to other sports leagues around the world, the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL are still among the most popular and profitable. Formula One, for example, had an average global television audience of 425 million viewers in 2020. Tennis, specifically the four Grand Slams, also have a global reach with the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open all attracting millions of viewers each year. Soccer, or football as it is known in most of the world, is the most popular sport globally, with FIFA World Cup matches drawing over one billion viewers.
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Most valuable sports franchises
According to Forbes’ 2022 list of the most valuable sports franchises, the top 5 are as follows:
- Dallas Cowboys – $6.8 billion
- New York Yankees – $6.3 billion
- Los Angeles Lakers – $6.1 billion
- Golden State Warriors – $5.5 billion
- Manchester United – $4.8 billion
How each of the most valuable sports team creates wealth
The Dallas Cowboys lead the list with a value of $6.8 billion, maintaining their position as the most valuable sports franchise for the fifth consecutive year. The team’s success on the field, coupled with the opening of AT&T Stadium in 2009, have helped drive revenues and overall value.
The New York Yankees come in at second place with a value of $6.3 billion. The team’s 27 World Series championships, coupled with a lucrative local television contract, have helped solidify their position as one of the most valuable franchises in sports.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who won the 2020 NBA championship, have a value of $6.1 billion and is the third most valuable franchise. The team’s success on the court, as well as their large, dedicated fan base and lucrative local television contract, have contributed to their high value.
The Golden State Warriors, who also have a strong following and a new arena, Chase Center, have a value of $5.5 billion and is in fourth place.
Manchester United, one of the most successful and popular football clubs in the world, is valued at $4.8 billion and is in fifth place. The team’s strong global fan base, coupled with lucrative sponsorship deals, have helped drive its value.
