Top 10 Most Influential. The sports business is experiencing unprecedented growth. Thanks to the global expansion of professional leagues, viewership and commercial interest have reached historic levels. The Premier League, the NBA, and the NFL have consolidated their influence beyond their traditional markets, while golf, tennis, and Formula 1 have expanded their circuits to almost every continent. Esquire magazine covered the developments driving multimillion-dollar contracts and sponsorships that will transform sports stars into figures of enormous economic power by 2025.
In this context, the elite of professional sports are securing massive incomes for their on-field performances and also maximizing profits through commercial deals, strategic investments, and personal brands. As a result, the world’s highest-paid athletes have surpassed previous seasons’ figures, setting new standards for wealth in the sports industry. According to data published by the specialized website Sportico disseminated by Esquire the athletes with the highest annual income come from various disciplines, with soccer, basketball, and golf among the most represented on the list updated as of January 2025.
Rodri: a Worker Among Virtuosos
The four-time Formula 1 champion comfortably leads the list of the highest-paid drivers on the circuit. His contract with the Red Bull team ensures the majority of his income, although sponsorships still represent a smaller percentage compared to other sports figures. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and three-time Super Bowl champion since 2020 is one of the most recognizable faces in the NFL. His contract with the team generates the majority of his income, although his deals with a sports brand, a fast-food chain, and one of the largest insurance companies in the United States provide him with a significant additional sum.
Top 10 Most Influential. The two-time NBA MVP built a financial empire thanks to his skill (which earned him a championship) in addition to the marketing of his image. His contract with the Milwaukee Bucks is substantial, but the majority of his earnings come from his highly lucrative deal with a major sportswear company, including an exclusive line of customized sneakers. The Phoenix Suns forward remains one of the NBA’s most influential players. His contract grants him a pay raise, while his deals with the same company as Antetokounmpo and other brands consolidate his financial presence off the court.
Top 10 Most Influential Aitana Bonmati: The Owner of The Goal
For his part, the Golden State Warriors point guard not only has the highest contract in the entire NBA, but he’s also cemented his legacy with strategic business deals. His role as the face of Under Armour, along with established ties to a Japanese automobile company and the most renowned American bank, reinforce his influence both inside and outside of basketball. The young French forward signed one of the most lucrative contracts in current football by joining Real Madrid in mid-2024.
At 40 years old, the Los Angeles Lakers star remains a benchmark both inside and outside the NBA. Although his contract isn’t the highest in the league, with his investments in sports franchises, his partnership with the same sports firm as Durant and Giannis, as well as his ties to beverage and telephone companies, he could generate a higher income compared to other basketball players. Since his arrival in the MLS with Inter Miami, the world champion has taken advantage of his media influence.
Top 10 Most Influential Leon Marchand: France on his Shoulders
The Spanish golfer the focus of one of the sport’s most surprising moves when he signed with Saudi-backed LIV Golf. His multimillion dollar contract and victories in elite events made him one of the highest-earning athletes last year. The Portuguese forward remains the highest-paid athlete in the world. His contract with Al-Nassr represents the highest salary in the history of the sport, and his commercial impact continues to attract sponsors willing to invest in his image. Even without his sports income, his endorsement deals would keep him among the sport’s financial elite.
Income diversification is a constant among the world’s highest-paid athletes. Beyond their salaries, sponsorships and strategic investments have boosted their fortunes to unprecedented levels. Below is the ranking of the athletes with the highest annual earnings, in ascending order. A handful of sports stars furthered their legends in 2023, a year in which figures such as Novak Djokovic, Max Verstappen, Lionel Messi, and Mikaela Shiffrin continued to enrich their trophy cabinets, while emerging figures such as NBA player Victor Wembanyama and marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum showed what they are capable of in their fledgling careers.
Conclusion
The Serbian player continued to break records in a nearly error-free season in which he added three new Grand Slam titles to his record. He now has 24 results from his victories at the Australian and US Opens and at Roland Garros, which allowed him to renew his ranking as world number one for another year. He only had to vent his losses in the Wimbledon finals, where he was defeated by Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in a memorable final, and in the Masters Cup, against Jannick Sinner, who also soured the Spaniard’s season finale by playing a decisive role in Serbia’s exit from the Davis Cup semifinals held in Malaga.
In April, 29-year-old Spaniard Jon Rahm won his first Masters at Augusta, his second major title in his career and his tenth, after a showpiece on the final day in which he defeated Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson to claim his first green jacket and overturn the world number one’s lead. In December, he made the front pages of sports newspapers again when it was announced that he was leaving the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, the state-run golf league of Saudi Arabia, starting next season, in a deal whose financial implications were not disclosed but which is valued at over $500 million.
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