Record Earnings for Top Athletes in 2024

For the first time ever, Forbes ki annual ranking ke top 10 sports stars ne har ek ne $100 million se zyada kamaya hai, jo milake ek bada total $1.38 billion hota hai.

Jon Rahm ka Faisla aur LIV Golf

June 2022 mein, jab LIV Golf ka pehla event London mein hua tha, golfer Jon Rahm se U.S. Open ke dauran is naye Saudi-backed tour ke baare mein poocha gaya. Rahm ne maana ki LIV Golf kuch players aur fans ko attract kar sakta hai, lekin yeh unke liye nahi tha. Unhone kaha tha ki chahe kitna bhi paisa mil raha ho, wo PGA Tour nahi chhodenge.

“Humari lifestyle change hogi agar mujhe $400 million mil gaye? Nahi, bilkul bhi nahi,” Rahm ne kaha. Unhone is baat par zor diya ki wo golf khelte hain khel ke pyaar ke liye, paisa ke liye nahi, aur wo PGA Tour ki history aur legacy ko value karte hain.

Lekin, do saal baad, Rahm Fox News par LIV-branded jacket pehene nazar aaye, jo unka LIV Golf tour mein switch confirm karta hai. Is kadam ke sath unhe reportedly $350 million ka bada payment mila, jisme se aadha unhe turant mil gaya. Is massive check ne Rahm ko 2023 mein 28th place se utha kar 2024 mein Forbes ki world’s highest-paid athletes ki list mein second spot par pahuncha diya, jahan unhone pichle 12 mahine mein lagbhag $218 million kamaya.

Saudi Investment in Sports

LIV Golf ko Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) se funding milti hai, jo $925 billion ke assets manage karta hai. PIF kuch soccer teams bhi own karta hai Saudi Arabia mein, jisme Cristiano Ronaldo ka club, Al Nassr bhi shamil hai. Dusre soccer stars jaise Neymar aur Karim Benzema bhi PIF-owned teams ke liye khelte hain, Jabki Lionel Messi Saudi Arabia ko tourism ambassador ke roop mein promote karte hain.

NBA Stars aur Saudi Deals

In deals mein itna bada paisa involved hai ki NBA stars LeBron James aur Giannis Antetokounmpo ne social media par mazak kiya hai ki unhe bhi apne Saudi deals mil jaayein. 2024 ke top ten highest-paid athletes sabhi ne $100 million se zyada kamaya, jo 2023 mein 8 athletes ka previous record todta hai. Milake, inhone lagbhag $1.38 billion kamaya hai taxes aur agent fees se pehle pichle saal mein, jo pichle record $1.11 billion se 24% zyada hai.

Media Rights aur Endorsements

Badhte media rights fees aur lucrative endorsements ne athlete earnings ko significantly boost kiya hai. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, aur Stephen Curry ne sabhi ne substantial NBA contracts sign kiye hain aur inke endorsement portfolios hain jo unhe annually $50 million se zyada kama ke deta hain. LeBron James particularly court ke bahar bahut successful hain, unhone endorsements se lagbhag $80 million kamaya.

Baltimore Ravens ke quarterback Lamar Jackson top ten ko $100.5 million ke sath complete karte hain. Jackson ne apni spot largely ek five-year, $260 million contract extension sign karne ke wajah se earn ki, jo briefly NFL history ka biggest contract tha.

Duniya ke Top Ten Highest-Paid Athletes

• 1. Cristiano Ronaldo ($260 million)

  Ronaldo, Portugal ke soccer player, list mein top par hain $200 million on-field aur $60 million off-field earnings ke sath. Unki massive salary Al Nassr ke sath aur unke numerous endorsements unhe highest-paid athlete banate hain.

  

• 2. Jon Rahm ($218 million)

  Golfer Jon Rahm Spain se, ne $198 million on-field aur $20 million off-field kamaya, largely unke LIV Golf move aur bade payment ki wajah se.

• 3. Lionel Messi ($135 million)

  Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi ne $65 million on-field aur $70 million off-field kamaya. Unke Inter Miami shift aur numerous endorsements ne unki earnings ko significantly boost kiya.

• 4. LeBron James ($128.4 million)

  Basketball player LeBron James United States se, ne $48.4 million on-field aur $80 million off-field kamaya, jo unhe athletes mein most successful pitchman banata hai.

• 5. Giannis Antetokounmpo ($111 million)

  Greek basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo ne $46 million on-field aur $65 million off-field kamaya. Ek injury ke bawajood, unke endorsements grow karte rahe.