Driver Salaries

Sports Illustrated's website had a list of the Top 20 international athletes (pay/winnings + endorsements): Fernando was #1 at $35MM/year, Ralf Schumacher was #14 at $18MM/year. Not bad Ralfie boy, considering where he finishes each race, he's doing pretty well!

List preface: Is there any question what sport is the most popular on earth? Our International 20 of the top-earning non-American athletes is dominated by nine soccer players, all of whom benefit here from one of the worst exchange rates on the dollar in years. Many have also been helped by the deep pockets of Chelsea billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, who is a George Steinbrenner on a global scale.

Meanwhile, the retirement of reigning international king Michael Schumacher has opened the door for another Formula One superstar, Fernando Alonso. He may not be a household name yet, but he's gaining fast. The rest of the International 20 is made up of golf and tennis stars, an Italian motorcycle-racing icon and five other athletes who make their living in U.S.-based leagues.

Sources: salaries, winnings and bonus figures from players' associations, tour records, agents and news reports. Endorsement estimates from Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing, other sports-marketing executives and analysts, and agents. Salaries based on current or most recently completed seasons (exception: 2007 for NFL). For winnings-based sports (auto racing, golf, tennis), 2006 calendar year amounts used.

 

Got a link for the article? Kimi's salary is rumored to be around 50 million, and Beckham's new one would also rival that for the top spot.

 

Not sure what list you are looking at, but this is what I found:

http://www.charlotte.com/417/story/117529.html

Athlete Sport Salary Endorsements Total
1. Tiger Woods Golf $10,628,024 $87,000,000 $97,628,024
2. Phil Mickelson Golf $5,971,710 $40,000,000 $45,971,710
3. Shaquille O'Neal NBA $20,000,000 $14,000,000 $34,000,000
4. Kobe Bryant NBA $15,656,932 $8,000,000 $33,656,832
5. Carson Palmer NFL $30,750,000 $800,000 $31,550,000
6. LeBron James NBA $4,621,800 $24,000,000 $21,621,800
7. Derek Jeter Baseball $21,000,000 $7,000,000 $28,000,000
8. Alex Rodriguez Baseball $21,000,000 $6,000.000 $27,000,000
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR $5,761,830 $20,000,000 $25,761,830 *
10. Michael Vick NFL $18,400,000 $7,000,000 $25,400,000

 

where's kimi at 50m?

 

That list must be just the American athletes.

 

Wow, i've only heard of Carson Palmer when he was drafted.

 

There is no way he is getting a 30 million dollar salary, his team would have no cap room at all, then again the rest of his team is in prison so they might have some extra

 

I wonder what Michael Jordan is pulling in per year. His Nike contract has to pay him a lot still!!

Matt

 

I think Ralf charges way too much for being so far back. I can guarantee dead last every race 100% for far far less. They should call me. I am serious. I'll be more consistent than MS or AS ever dreamed they could be.

 

Another typical way of thinking that the world is actually the USofA. There is life outside of Texas, you know?

 

Sorry, shoulda included the link in my first post.

Int'l 20: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.20.html

Fortunate 50 (US athletes): http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.html

 

I think that was his signing bonus and guaranteed $$, not his actual cap salary.

 

This is what i know:
Source: Business F1 Magazine.
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Did they say if that includes his revenue from dog fighting?

 

Massa is a Bargain !

 

Those numbers have gone down as most of the people that he had endorsement contracts with have dropped him.

Where is O.J. on the list ?

Or PacMan ??

LOL

 

Now Franco that is funny.

 

An update:

Mark Webber Red Bull
$5m

Takuma Sato Super Aguri
$4.5m

 

What a waste..

 

He's been doing better than Ralf, so if we go by Ralf's salary Takuma is outrageously underpaid

 

Hamilton is a better bargain!

 

So that's about $250k per crash. Nice!

 

Wow. Webber is a bargain. Most underrated driver on the grid.

 

Most drivers are WAAAYYY overpaid. I mean Kimi would be worth the 50mil IF, he won the title by mid season, autographed 300+ items per day. Developped every new Ferrari street car, raced in the Ferrari WRC team during winter, went every week to a Ferrari owners gathering and paid Massa's salary from his own pocket.

 

Expectations are low and he is living up to them...