Sports stars across Britain and Ireland "have never had it so good," according to Philip Beresford of the SUNDAY TIMES. The fourth Sunday Times Sport Rich List shows that "the top 100 present and former sportsmen" -- and it is all men -- have wealth totaling £3.2B ($5B), up 6.7% on last year and 31% higher than in the first list in '10. It "has been a vintage year for British sport with the hugely successful London Olympics, a British triumph at a Grand Slam tennis event and a wonderhorse enthralling the world of racing." But the "list is headed by someone who is now fast becoming a vintage player himself in the shape of David Beckham." Football dominates the list. This year, the list includes 49 footballers, managers and past players against 48 last year. But this is well down on the 57 it had in the first list. The "earnings are huge." Man City midfielder Yaya Toure is on £11.4M ($17.7M) a year, and that is "without sponsorship income." For all the success of the Olympics, the list has only one Gold Medalist in the ranks in the shape of tennis player Andy Murray (£32M / $49.6M), who won the singles title, as well as the U.S. Open. Jessica Ennis, the face of the Olympics, "just failed to make the cut for our Young Rich List." There are "12 current or former racing drivers in our top 100 and one in the young list." Just as "foreign stars flock to British football, so American basketball and the huge money to be made in boxing there attracts British stars." Three Britons "play for top U.S. basketball teams," including the Chicago Bulls' Luol Deng (SUNDAY TIMES, 4/28).
Britain's 100 Richest Sportsmen
|
Rank 2013 (2012)
| Name | Worth
| Rise/Fall
| Source Of Wealth
|
| 1. (1.) | David Beckham
| £165M
| + £5M
| Football
|
2. (3.)
| Dave Wheland and family
| £160M
| + £20M
| Football, Sports equipment
|
3. (2.)
| Paul Caddick and family
| £150M
| +/- £0
| Construction, Rugby
|
4. (4.)
| Tony O'Reilly
| £142M
| + £22M
| Rugby union, Food, Media
|
5. (5.)
| Johnny Dumfries
| £110M
| +/- £0 | Land, Motor racing, Art
|
6. (6.)
| Lennox Lewis
| £95M
| +/- £0 | Boxing
|
7. (7.)
| Eddie Irvine
| £83M
| + £3M
| Motor racing, Property
|
8. (9.)
| Lewis Hamilton
| £60M
| + £5M
| Motor racing
|
9. (10.)
| Jenson Button
| £58M
| + £5M
| Motor racing
|
10. (8.)
| Jody Scheckter
| £57M
| - £3M
| Motor racing, Defense training
|
Source: Sunday Times
RELEGATION HURTS: In London, Barry Flatman wrote "relegation from the Premier League hurts more than just pride." This year "is guaranteed to cause the greatest financial shortfall in the history of English football with a caculated loss to the Championship-destined clubs" of £50M ($77.4M). The new £5B ($7.7B) deal to televise the EPL nationally and globally next season "has upped the financial stakes out of all proportion and will make life among English football’s elite next season the most lucrative place to be." Even those unfortunate teams relegated at the end of '13-14 will pick up £60M ($92.9M), which is approximately what Man City "earned for winning last year’s title." Deloitte Sports Business Group senior consultant Adam Bull said, "The impact of relegation from the Premier League will be harder than it’s ever been this season. Even with the parachute payments of £48M ($74.3M) spread over four years, the large reduction in broadcast income from missing out on the first year of the new Premier League deal will be a tough blow to take" (SUNDAY TIMES, 4/28).
