Sport stars today are now level with film icons and music legends when it comes to fame and fortune. Those talented enough to make it onto the professional field of play are capable of raking in millions per season. In the race for supremacy, sport clubs are paying huge amounts for the top players.
This article will profile the best paid sport stars according to the world wide web, from soccer and basketball to American football and UFC.
Nathan MacKinnon
The highest earner in the NHL for the 2023/24 campaign was Nathan MacKinnon who signed a new record eight-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche worth a staggering $100.8 million. Putting pen to paper on a new deal following the Stanley Cup win in 2022, the Canadian centre collects $16.5 million from taking to the ice.
When it comes to NHL history, Wayne Gretzky is the top earner of all-time according to the top 10 list of richest NHL players via GambleOntario having raked in $250 million during his successful career. One of the most storied and famous players in the history of hockey, starring throughout the Eighties and Nineties, Gretzky made a $46 million salary during his time on the ice and another $50 million in sponsorship deals.
Joe Burrow
The top sport stars in the world earn so much it is quite hard to quantify in one’s mind. Take Joe Burrow, for example, who signed a $55m-a-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023. The quarterback became the NFL’s highest earner when he committed his future to the side after helping Bengals to two AFC North titles and a Super Bowl. Penning fresh terms, Burrow surpassed Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson in the NFL earning stakes based on his yearly average.
Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is the current top earner in NBA with a $102m fortune. The basketball icon is reported to be the highest-paid player in the league with a salary of $51.9m
When Curry signed a four-year contract extension with the Warriors worth $215m, he became the first player in the history of the sport to sign two contracts worth more than $200m. It’s little wonder his team were keen to tie him down with Curry a four-time NBA champion and a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player. It’s fair to say the top performers in sport come at a premium but are often worth every penny.
Cristiano Ronaldo
One of the most identifiable sportsmen on the planet, Cristiano Ronaldo has combined skill and scoring on the pitch with glitz and glamour off the field.
In May 2024, the Portugal international topped Forbes’ list of the highest-paid athletes for a fourth time. After successful spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus during a career which has spanned two decades, the 39-year-old became the world’s highest-paid athlete when he joined Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia and boasts total earnings of around $260m. No soccer player in the history of the sport has earned more.
With a staggering 632 million followers on Instagram, Ronaldo is a marketing dream and has reportedly earned $60m from sponsorship deals.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is one of the most famous tennis players of the 21st century and one of the most successful in the sport’s history and so it is no surprise he is the top earner. According to Forbes, the Serbian star earned $38.4million in 2023 and is now out in front after Roger Federer, who earned a reported $95m per year, retired in September 2022.
Djokovic reportedly earned a whopping $13.4million in prize money at various tournaments including Wimbledon, the US Open and French Open, before making a further $25m from sponsorship, endorsements, appearances and licensing and memorabilia.
Young Carlos Alcaraz who has cemented his place as the next tennis great, isn’t far behind having himself earned a total of $31.4million in 2023.
Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is one of the most instantly recognisable faces in sport over the last decade and boasts the titles, awards and bank balance to prove it. The highest-earning fighter in the history of UFC, McGregor has generated a massive $39.3m from fighting having held both the Featherweight and Lightweight championship belts in 2016.
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired undefeated in 2021 and his supreme talent helped him to earn a massive $22.9m. Second in the list, these tallies perhaps show McGregor’s dominance in and out of the cage as one of the most prominent sport stars in recent times.
Summing Up
Sporting athletes are among the most famous and well-known people on the planet in the 21st century and for that they are rewarded and compensated with massive amounts. As sporting teams aim for ultimate success, they are prepared to pay giant wages to sign the best in order to achieve the dream.
From Cristiano Ronaldo and Novak Djokovic to Conor McGregor and Stephen Curry, earnings now go well beyond the pitch or court as the top names earn sponsorships and endorsements from the biggest brands in the world. Future earnings for the stars of tomorrow will no doubt continue to rise as the battle for supremacy continues in competitions including the NBA, NHL and Champions League.
