Sports Industrialists

WHO MADE WHAT? FORBES RELEASES ITS 40 RICHEST IN '97

12.2.1997

          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).

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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