Most lucrative sport if you are the best player by far?

[NBAplayoffs2001]

Soccer? Boxing? Basketball? Baseball?

[Cactus-Sack]

Four dumb threads in under 15 minutes. Just. Fvcking. Stop.

[Kblaze8855]

Mayweather has a deal worth up to 300 million from showtime. He makes like 80 million a year.

If he cared about endorsments hed be killing everyone. But since he doesnt....

Soccer or basketball plus the shoe deals have to be it unless some of the big european racers have more side money than I think.

[~primetime~]

boxing, golf, race car driving

any sport where you are a one man team...no teammates to share with

[DeuceWallaces]

Even the biggest basketball stars only have shoe deals worth 20 million on top of their 20 million dollar salary.

It's Boxing (mostly due to Mayweather's innovations behind the scenes) and it's not even close.

[~primetime~]

Top 50 Richest Athletes (http://www.celebritynetworth.com/list/top-50-richest-athletes/)

should be noted that Tiger would be a billionaire if not for his divorce

[Kblaze8855]

Lebron is over 75 million some years. Jordan made 80 million in 98 and even more last year. He made 90 million just off shoes but doesnt count anymore since hes retired.

Lebron and Kobe both get int othe top 5 yearly with Ronaldo and Messi...at times Tiger too.

I think Tiger and Money are the only ones to top 100 million in a year.

[~primetime~]

Even the biggest basketball stars only have shoe deals worth 20 million on top of their 20 million dollar salary.

It's Boxing (mostly due to Mayweather's innovations behind the scenes) and it's not even close.
Bron got $90 mill from Nike before the Cavs even drafted him :confusedshrug:

[NBAplayoffs2001]

Bron got $90 mill from Nike before the Cavs even drafted him :confusedshrug:

True. $90 million at 18 years old :eek: :eek:

[JohnFreeman]

Michael Schumacher made some coin

[Kensta]

Definitely Basketball. The shoe deals are insane now.

[MavsSuperFan]

If you factor in earnings off the field/court, Basketball because its the most marketable sport.

If you only factor in their contracts, I think on average baseball. Eg. there are lots of mlb players on this list
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_sports_contracts

http://i58.tinypic.com/15pj31e.png

MLB players get the biggest contracts, but I think if you factor in advertising NBA players make the most money, because their fan bases are younger (more susceptible to marketing) and they are more marketable. Also shoe deals.

MLB also has guaranteed contracts so they got all of that money

floyd is also deceptively low as he made that amount in 2 years

Also the NFL PA is pathetic. the most profitable sports league in the world, and its players get paid shit.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

At one point Mike Tyson (despite all of the mismanagement of money) would have been worth $500 million in the late 1990s.

[MavsSuperFan]

Top 50 Richest Athletes (http://www.celebritynetworth.com/list/top-50-richest-athletes/)

should be noted that Tiger would be a billionaire if not for his divorce
a lot of those guys there made money in ways not related to sports. eg roger staubach and magic johnson. they made most of their money in business ventures.

[Flash31]

Soccer--top stars are making 50-70+ plus
they get 30-40 million Euros a Year on the field alone

Boxing and Golf are DOMINATED by 2 Guys in earnings
Floyd and Tiger are making 70+ every year
and Tiger isn't even winning much but due to endorsements is getting 75+ million

F1 Racees make 30-40 million Euros a year not including endorsements
Federer is getting 60+ a year

So basically


Soccer
F1
Boxing
Golf
Tennis
NBA
MLB
NFL

But the medianaverage would be
Soccer,NBA,MLB,NFL,then F1,Tennis,Boxing,Golf

[rezznor]

Golf has longevity though. Can't be matched by more physical sports