Many professional athletes get paid a lot of money to play their sports, but for some, their endorsement deals are more lucrative than their salaries.
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James is the professional athlete who earned the most from endorsements and sponsorship deals last year, per Sportico. Deals with companies that included Nike, Beats By Dre, and PepsiCo helped him make $80 million through endorsements in 2023, nearly double his roughly $46 million salary with the Lakers.
Meanwhile, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo was the world's highest-paid athlete last year. He earned $215 million through his contract with the Saudi club Al-Nassr and an additional $60 million in endorsements.
Athletes tend to retire younger than the average worker, so endorsement deals help them maximize their earnings while they're still in the spotlight. This is likely among the reasons you may be seeing Travis Kelce in so many commercials — the Kansas City Chiefs star has contemplated retirement in recent years.
Endorsement earnings are particularly helpful for athletes whose pay is constrained by league salary caps. In 2022, James signed a two-year, $97.1 million contract with the Lakers — the largest deal permitted under league rules. NBA teams can sign eligible players to contracts worth up to 35% of the league's salary cap — which is $136 million for the 2023-24 season.
Proponents of salary cap restrictions in the NBA and other sports leagues like the NFL and NHL say they help to ensure competitive balance — so the team with the deepest pockets doesn't get all the best players. But without these restrictions, star athletes like James would likely earn much more over the course of their careers.
Given this reality, endorsements can be a valuable side hustle. The same goes for business ventures and investments — which many athletes have pursued in recent years.
Among the world's 100 highest-paid athletes — in terms of combined salaries, winnings, and endorsements — here are the nine that brought in the majority of their earnings from endorsements in 2023, per Sportico. Golf and tennis stars make up the majority of the ranking.
The athletes with the lowest endorsement earnings are listed first.