Thats hysterical, Endorsements dont count? LOL FOR WHO........... YOU?!?! Athletes salaries and tax brackets and all their info is OVERALL TOTAL EARNINGS, No one cares if YOU Dont consider endorsements because um, THE WORLD DOES!! LOL And Arod isnt even the top 10 of anything world wide, so lets get it straight KIDS!! This list looks at the top earners of 2009: 1. Tiger Woods Tiger has amassed riches worth $110 million in the year 2009 taking his total income to a staggering $900 million. Aged 33, he is sure to be the first sportsperson to reach the $1 billion milestone during a career. His earnings have comprised of appearance fees, prize money and endorsements some of which include Nike, Accenture and Gillette etc. 2. Kobe Bryant Aged 30, this basketball great has already earned his name in the all time greats of NBA by winning his fourth NBA title and thereby adding to his ever increasing coffers. His famed No.24 jersey is a constant rage among fans in South East Asia, Europe and USA. His total career earnings this year have already surpassed $50 million. 3. Michael Jordan Though it comes as a surprise but Michael Jordan has been pocketing a cool $45 million through the sales of the brand ‘Jordan’ made famous by Nike. He is even short listed as a potential buyer of the Charlotte Bobcats where he currently heads the basketball operations. 4. Kimi Raikkonen Known as “Icemanâ€, this Finnish superstar earns a cool $42 million through his salary at Ferrari and other endorsements which includes Tag Heur. He has extended his contract at Ferrari which will keep him till 2010 which will result in doubling of his personal riches. 5. David Beckham Although David Beckham is in the twilight of his football career, his earnings graph doesn’t seem to indicate that. He has pocketed around $40 million through his salary at Los Angeles Galaxy and his endorsement deals with Giorgio Armani, Adidas and Pepsi Co. His football jerseys are still a rage with his fans as they account for a major part of his earnings. 6. Lebron James Crowned the MVP in the last season of NBA, he is also known as ‘King James’. He has earned around $39 million in this fiscal year courtesy his salary at Cleveland Cavaliers and his personal endorsements which include a mega deal with Nike, Vitamin Water, Upper Deck Trading and Sprite. 7. Phil Mickelson The highest earner in professional golf league after Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson has earned over $38 million in the year 2009. His deals with Barclays, Rolex, KPMG and Callaway have been lucrative enough to get him the seventh rank in this list of high profile earners. 8. Manny Pacquiao The surprise entry in the list this year, Manny has earned his way by beating Oscar la Hoya and Ricky Hatton in the two biggest blockbuster fights of boxing history. This achievement led to Manny earning cool deals with Nike, Alaxan, Mcdonald’s and EA Sports to name a few. His total earnings this year has amounted to $35 million. 9. Valentino Rossi After losing two straight World championships in 2006 and 2007, Rossi fought his way back in 2008 to prove his detractors wrong and earn a fortune worth $35 million. His endorsement deal with the energy drink Monster gets him a cool $28 million while the rest is courtesy Yamaha Corporation with whom he has a long term contract. 10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Despite being a winner in a single race in the past two seasons, Dale Jr has won all the popularity contests in Nascar Championship. This has led to his endorsement deals with Adidas, Sony and Chevrolet etc. His total earnings this year has totaled to $34 million. Merchandise bearing his name has been a huge hit among the Nascar fans. Total Earnings.... Not what you pick and choose to decide what matters!!!
I am little surprised to see Kimi Raikkonen in the above list... but no Alonso or Hamilton! I guess there are lot many other factors determining the pay... than just the performance on field! Regards, RightMan
I think pre scandal Tiger was getting paid a lot. Currently right now it is a toss up between Kobe Bryant's new contract and Alex Rodriguez.