By David Di Somma
It's often said that rich people don't really care about how much they earn - as long as they have relativity to their peers whether they are team-mates or competitors.
It's an ego thing. They know they will have more money that they can ever spend, but they cant bare the thought of being undersold, undermined or under-valued.
With his fourth round win at the French Open, Novak Djokovic has topped 100 US million dollars in career earnings. That's 146 million New Zealand. It does not include endorsement deals which are massively substantial.
The world number one is the first to hit nine figures, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal the next in line, in the high 98-99 million zone. Both of course are not playing now at Roland Garros because of injury.
It's estimated when all his income streams are tallied up, Djokovic earns somewhere around $US 48m - that equates to $1324 a day, or nearly $NZ2000. .
(Gettys)
Hands down Maria Sharapova is the highest paid female tennis player, in fact she's the highest paid sportswoman on the planet and has been for the last decade. She earns somewhere around $US25m a year (or did before her drugs suspension) and has multi million dollar endorsement deals as well as her Superpova confectionery business.
Tennis dominated the female rich listers, with Serena Williams at number 2 , though NASCAR driver Danica Patrick is also right up there, with UFC star Ronda Rousey eighth
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Speaking of box office, sport's biggest bank-roller is Floyd Mayweather. He landed somewhere around $US275m last year alone - that's over $NZ400m. It's such an incredible mind boogling amount. He ain't called Money Mayweather for nothing.
Manny Pacquiao was next - with $NZ217m.
Tiger woods was the first golfer to crack the $US100m mark from his golfing endeavours. At one stage he was estimated to be worth $US1.3 billion , with 88% coming from endorsements. Suffice to say that's dried up considerably since his marriage/infidelity woes and his repeated surgeries.
Another who's no stranger to controversy, A-Rod Alex Rodriguez is baseball's biggest earner ever, with a lifetime fortune of around $US356m. But it appears on current salaries the numero uno is Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. He is one of 36 players in the MLB who will earn around $NZ30m in 2016.
(Reuters)
In the NFL the highest paid player in history is Peyton Manning. He has earned around $US350-400m ahead of his brother Eli and the 'All American' Tom Brady, though Manning's annual salary now is (just) $US15m.
Quarter-backs dominate the leaderboard on this one, with the highest annual salaries in 2015 going to Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers (22m), Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks ($21m) and Ben Roethlisberger from the Pittsburgh Steelers ($21m).
In the football world it's a match race between you know who. Cristiano Ronaldo comes out marginally ahead, with $NZ107m a year, and Lionel Messi not far behind. Naturally it's impossible to know exactly what they earn - but this is best guess material after assessing a number of different sources. Some have joked that Ronaldo in particular is just a walking billboard with endorsement from motor oil to shampoo, from KFC to Nike, and everything in between.
(Gettys)
F1 is also all about the bucks - Sebastien Vettel has pole position with around $50m a year, with Lewis Hamilton at $31M.
With the NBA in many people's thoughts right now Le Bron James is the man. His annual income is estimated at more than $US40m, with the Thunder's Kevin Durant about 5 million dollars adrift. Steph Curry earns about half what James does now, and is estimated to be 65th on the NBA payroll because he signed a 4-year contract at a "bargain" rate.
The two-time MVP is about to get a serious upgrade.
Steven Adams is a pauper by comparison with a contract worth just a tad over 2 million, although that, as we know, will change next year.
His stocks have risen remarkably during their western conference finals loss to the Golden State Warriors to the point where people are talking $12-15 million a year once his contract is re-negotiated.
Of the other Kiwis, Scott Dixon (annual earnings of $11m), Winston Reid ($12m) and Russell Coutts ($13m) lead the pack with Lydia Ko's earnings on the course now around $9m and she has some heavyweight sponsors as well.
(Photosport)
Sport - not just fun and games.
Djokovic has won the Australian, US and Wimbledon titles a total 11 times, but never won the French Open.
(To quote a well known ad) -
How would he assess the career grand slam? - priceless.
Newshub.
