The World's Highest-Paid Athletes - Forbes.com
A torn anterior cruciate ligament couldn't stop Tiger Woods from being the world's highest paid athlete, making US $110 million during the past 12 months. His injury caused his prize money to drop from $25 million to $5 million, but his non-playing financial interests caused his overall earnings to drop only $5 million.
1. Tiger Woods - $110 Million
Major Sponsors: Nike, Pepsico (Gatorade), AT&T, Gillettte, General Motors (Buick)
(Note: General Motors recently ended its agreement with Woods)
T2 - Kobe Bryant - $45 Million
Major Sponsors - Nike, Upper Deck, Activision, Vitamin Water
T2 - Michael Jordan - $45 Million
His Jordan brand of basketball sneakers is approaching $1 billion in sales for Nike.
T2. Kimi Raikkonen (Formula 1 Race Driver) $45 million
5. David Beckham - $42 million
Major Sponsors: Adidas, Motorola, Giorgio Armani
T6. LeBron James $40 million
T6. Phil Mickelson $40 million
Major Sponsors: Callaway Golf, Barclay's, KPMG, Rolex
T6. Manny Pacquiao (boxing) $40 milli
9. Valentino Rossi (motorcycle racing) - $35 million
Major Sponsors: Yamaha, Monster energy drink
10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. $34 million
T11. Roger Federer $33 million
T11 Shaquille O'Neal $33 million
Rounding out the field with $30 million or more in earnings are baseball players Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, golfer Vijay Singh, basketball player Kevin Garnett, race car drivers Jeff Gordon and Lewis Hamilton, and Roldinho.
A torn anterior cruciate ligament couldn't stop Tiger Woods from being the world's highest paid athlete, making US $110 million during the past 12 months. His injury caused his prize money to drop from $25 million to $5 million, but his non-playing financial interests caused his overall earnings to drop only $5 million.
1. Tiger Woods - $110 Million
Major Sponsors: Nike, Pepsico (Gatorade), AT&T, Gillettte, General Motors (Buick)
(Note: General Motors recently ended its agreement with Woods)
T2 - Kobe Bryant - $45 Million
Major Sponsors - Nike, Upper Deck, Activision, Vitamin Water
T2 - Michael Jordan - $45 Million
His Jordan brand of basketball sneakers is approaching $1 billion in sales for Nike.
T2. Kimi Raikkonen (Formula 1 Race Driver) $45 million
5. David Beckham - $42 million
Major Sponsors: Adidas, Motorola, Giorgio Armani
T6. LeBron James $40 million
T6. Phil Mickelson $40 million
Major Sponsors: Callaway Golf, Barclay's, KPMG, Rolex
T6. Manny Pacquiao (boxing) $40 milli
9. Valentino Rossi (motorcycle racing) - $35 million
Major Sponsors: Yamaha, Monster energy drink
10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. $34 million
T11. Roger Federer $33 million
T11 Shaquille O'Neal $33 million
Rounding out the field with $30 million or more in earnings are baseball players Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, golfer Vijay Singh, basketball player Kevin Garnett, race car drivers Jeff Gordon and Lewis Hamilton, and Roldinho.