Salaries and prize money are only part of the equation. The top-earning athletes are typically marketing juggurnauts playing global sports like soccer, basketball, tennis and golf.
Share to twitterMajor League Baseball had a staggering run this year when, over a four-week period, a quartet of its biggest stars—Nolan Arenado, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Mike Trout—signed blockbuster, long-term deals. They ranked as four of the biggest playing contracts in the history of sports.
Messi is only the fourth athlete to land in the No. 1 spot over the past 19 years, joining Tiger Woods , Floyd Mayweather and Cristiano Ronaldo . Messi succeeds Mayweather, who failed to get in the ring for a pro bout over the past 12 months but is likely still counting last year'sMessi is joined by fellow global soccer icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar at the top this year.
Sportswear brands, including Adidas, have used NBA stars in China for more than a decade to help establish a foothold in the world's biggest market, sending big names like James and Durant there every summer on promotional tours. The NBA estimatesin China watched some kind of NBA programming during the 2017-18 season—that's nearly twice the population of the U.S.
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