FORBES magazine released its annual list of the top 40 athletes by income in '97. SALARY includes compensation, prize money/winnings and earned incentives and bonuses. ENDORSE includes licensing money and appearance/exhibition fees. Not included is income from side businesses and equity partnerships. '96 is last year's rank. Figures below are in millions (FORBES, 12/15 issue).
NO. | NAME | SPORT | '96 | SALARY | ENDORSE | TOTAL |
1) | Michael Jordan | Basketball | 2 | $31.30 | $47.00 | $78.30 |
2) | Evander Holyfield | Boxing | 6 | 53 | 1.3 | 54.3 |
3) | Oscar De La Hoya | Boxing | 17 | 37 | 1 | 38 |
4) | Michael Schumacher | Auto Racing | 3 | 25 | 10 | 35 |
5) | Mike Tyson | Boxing | 1 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
6) | Tiger Woods | Golf | 26 | 2.1 | 24 | 26.1 |
7) | Shaquille O'Neal | Basketball | 4 | 12.9 | 12.5 | 25.4 |
8) | Dale Earnhardt | Auto Racing | 20 | 3.6 | 15.5 | 19.1 |
9) | Joe Sakic | Hockey | | 17.8 | 0.1 | 17.9 |
10) | Grant Hill | Basketball | 18 | 5 | 12 | 17 |
11) | Greg Norman | Golf | 39 | 3.2 | 13 | 16.2 |
12) | Arnold Palmer | Golf | 8 | 0.1 | 16 | 16.1 |
13) | Horace Grant | Basketball | | 14.5 | 0.4 | 14.9 |
14) | George Foreman | Boxing | 36 | 10.2 | 4.5 | 14.7 |
15) | Pete Sampras | Tennis | 16 | 6.5 | 8 | 14.5 |
16) | Andre Agassi | Tennis | 7 | 0.1 | 14 | 14.1 |
17) | Cal Ripken Jr. | Baseball | 11 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 13.2 |
17) | David Robinson | Basketball | 21 | 11.2 | 2 | 13.2 |
19) | Ken Griffey Jr. | Baseball | 19 | 8.8 | 4.2 | 13 |
19) | Alonzo Mourning | Basketball | | 9.5 | 3.5 | 13 |
21) | Michael Chang | Tennis | 24 | 2.5 | 9.5 | 12 |
21) | Naseem Hamed | Boxing | | 9.5 | 2.5 | 12 |
23) | Juwan Howard | Basketball | | 10 | 1.2 | 11.2 |
23) | Gary Payton | Basketball | | 9 | 2.2 | 11.2 |
25) | Greg Maddux | Baseball | | 10.2 | 0.8 | 11 |
25) | Hakeem Olajuwon | Basketball | 22 | 9.5 | 1.5 | 11 |
25) | Dennis Rodman | Basketball | 9 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
28) | Wayne Gretzky | Hockey | 14 | 5.9 | 5 | 10.9 |
29) | Mike Piazza | Baseball | | 7 | 3.6 | 10.6 |
30) | Reggie Miller | Basketball | | 9.2 | 1.2 | 10.4 |
30) | Albert Belle | Baseball | | 10 | 0.4 | 10.4 |
32) | Jeff Gordon | Auto Racing | | 3.8 | 6.5 | 10.3 |
33) | Barry Sanders | Football | | 8.4 | 1.8 | 10.2 |
34) | Chris Gratton | Hockey | | 10 | 0.1 | 10.1 |
35) | Lennox Lewis | Boxing | | 9.5 | 0.2 | 9.7 |
36) | Michael Moorer | Boxing | | 9.6 | 0 | 9.6 |
37) | Sammy Sosa | Baseball | | 9.3 | 0.2 | 9.5 |
38) | Jack Nicklaus | Golf | 33 | 0.3 | 9 | 9.3 |
38) | Frank Thomas | Baseball | 30 | 7.2 | 2.1 | 9.3 |
40) | Brett Favre | Football | | 5.6 | 3.6 | 9.2 |
BUT IS IT ACCURATE? CNBC's Garrett Glaser examined the "big business of list making" in magazines and the accuracy of such lists. Noting Forbes' 40 highest-paid athletes list Glaser said, "But can you trust the research? Some say the press rarely gets it all right." Forbes Sports Editor Peter Spiegel said he has talked with agents, business managers, industry insiders and other journalists in compiling the list. Spiegel: "We've been doing this ... for seven years, and we've developed a good basis to know." Spiegel: "It's not rocket science. I mean, most of these deals are pretty easy to get" ("Business Center," CNBC, 12/1).