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Sports are a favorite entertainment and recreation for a lot of people hence with that kind of attention the sporting industry brings in billions in revenue. So it is only natural that the players will earn a handsome amount of cash in salaries, bonuses and prize money not to mention money from endorsement deals from multi-million dollar brands. Some of the richest people in the world are sportsmen and women. Sports really do pay well generally but there are some sports that pay better than others so let’s look at some of the high paying sports in 2019.
- Basketball
Basketball is a wonderful game; it follows closely after football in the list of the world’s most loved sports. If one plays in the major basketball leagues, you are guaranteed a great salary. The endorsements from the game are huge. The NBA reports that Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are the highest paid athletes. Lebron James reportedly earns $30 million and has over $300 million in earnings from endorsements from companies such as Nike, while Kobe Bryant earns $25 million from the Lakers with over $300 million in endorsements from brands such as Nike and Hublot and Panini.
2. Boxing
This is also another popular sport that has got a huge following all around the world. Boxing Tournaments pay very well and the prize money is a handsome amount too. Bets and Endorsements also add up to the amount of money paid in such tournaments. Mike Tyson who is a legendary boxer once earned $75 million from the sport. Floyd Mayweather tops the list though with his mega earnings of $285 million.
3. Auto racing
Automobile racing is a thrilling and stimulating sport. The spectators watch the sport with great zeal and exhilaration. The players have to drive the automobile with super fast speeds, making it a risky yet interesting sport for all. The race began right from the invention of first competition car, back in the year 1930. The most prestigious and popular Formula One race yields astounding salaries to each participant and a mammoth reward to the winner. The players earn tons of dollars in each race. Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel are the richest F1 racers with income accounting to 42 million and 51 million dollars respectively.
4. Golf
Golf is a kind of game made for the elites. Not only is it for the classy and sophisticated, it also makes its players rich. Tiger Woods remains the world’s highest paid golfer having won tournament after tournament. He has appeared of Forbes list of richest athletes a record number of eleven times with his highest earn being $115 million. Other rich players in this category include Jack Nickalus and Arnold Palmer who both earn in millions.
5. Soccer
Soccer is a celebrated sport all around the world; in fact it is reportedly the most loved sport in the world. One only needs to look at the number of people who attend the premier league matches and the huge viewership that sports channels have during football seasons to comprehend the level of dedication people have towards this sport. Some of the top earners in this category of sport include Lionel Messi whom Forbes magazine reports to have earned an average of $111 million in salary and endorsements and Christiano Ronaldo with an astonishing $108 million dollar earn for salary plus endorsements.
6. Tennis
It is one of the most popular sports across the globe. This racket sport is played either on a clay court or on a solid grass court which is separated by net. Usually, the game is played between two players or two teams consisting of 2 players each side. The game originated from Birmingham and is now renowned all over the world. Tennis is played in international level with several coveted grand slams like Australian Open, US Open, Wimbledon and many more. The players earn substantial amount of money ranging in millions. Roger Federer is the richest tennis player with income accounting to whooping 77.2 million dollars.
7. Ice Hockey
It is the fastest and most difficult sport of the world. The game requires hockey skills as well as skating skills. This game consist of two teams having six players in each team. Players are skaters who push the rubber puck in opponent’s net through a hand-stick. The game was first played in Canada in the 18th century and is the National winter sport of Canada. It is a prominent game of United States, so the players are paid high remunerations. Many hockey players earn millions of dollars and feature in the list of richest athletes.
8. American Football
American football is the most played game in USA and that is why it is christened so. It is a game that gives excitement and enjoyment to the audiences and is also named as gridiron. The game is played between 2 teams with 11 players each. It is a running game where a team’s players run with oval shaped ball to touch down and score points while the other team defends. Players earn handsome salary through this game and few of them are among richest athletes in the world. Matt Ryan enjoys an income of 67.3 million dollars and is the 9th richest player in the world.
9. Baseball
Baseball is one of America’s most loved sports. Boys learn playing baseball from a very young age in the United States and Baseball games record a high attendance rate. Because of this huge following, the sport has been able to attract a lot of endorsements for the players in the baseball league which adds to their wealth. Some of the richest names benefiting from playing this sport include Alex Rodriguez who earned above an average of $35 million.
10. Cycling
I know this is a surprise to most but who would have thought that riding a bicycle would make one rich, well when it is done as a sport, it could turn you into a millionaire if you are good at it. A lot of cycling tournaments take place all around the world and they have huge prize money gifts for the winners. Some of the very best cyclists get pretty huge endorsements from interested brands. Lance Armstrong is one of the highest paid cyclists in the world and according to Forbes list of rich players, he was at number nine earning 28 million dollars.
The sports mentioned above have some of the highest paid athletes in the world. Sports is a huge attraction to people all over the world hence it is only natural that corporate brands will want to partner with these sports to make their own brands visible which means more money is being made.
