The sports industry is one of the richest industries in the world. Apart from serving as a means of entertainment to its viewers, it also doubles as a lucrative profession for its numerous athletes and sportsmen.
The sports industry pays billions of dollars to its athletes yearly, which gives those athletes a luxury and lavish lifestyle. Classifying these sports using the average salary paid to its athletes and their net worth, we have the list of the richest sports in the world below.
1. Baseball
This is the richest sport in the world in 2020 using the average salary paid to its athletes as criteria. Baseball with a lesser market share pays its average players as high as 8.5 million yearly. Even though the flagship professional athletes earn more than that.
The baseball market’s net worth in 2020 is close to $40 billion. Despite participation from a few countries, it raked about $8957 million last year. One of its best players, Clayton Kershaw earns $33.8 million yearly as his salary from the baseball league. About $750,000 worth of endorsement deal was also closed by him, making him one of the richest sportsmen in the world.
2. Basketball
Basketball is one of the richest world sports with a market value of $90 billion. Its average player earns as high as 3.8 million annually. NBA, one of its major tournaments made about $6271 million last year. Some of the NBA’s franchise also makes about $209 million each as its annual revenue last year.
Despite the huge returns on basketball, the US is the major shareholder of the game. It’s mostly popular in the US but also known around the world.
3. American Football
American football Game is the 3rd world richest sports in our list, as it pays its professional player about $2.4 million yearly. It has a market value of $200 billion. Many of its flagship bearers(players) for different franchises earn more than that annually.
National Football League, one of its best tournament makes $11,394 yearly as its revenues. American Football can boast of two players, Matt and Ryan as one of the richest sportsmen in the world. With Matt and Ryan earning $67.3 million and 59.5 million yearly.
4. Ice Hockey
The world’s richest sports are mostly played actively in the US and Canada. Most of its shares are also owned by these two countries.
Ice Hockey has a net market value of $60 billion in 2020. NHL game, one of its biggest tournaments pays its average professional player about $2.2 million yearly. The tournament also made $4,338 million last year with each team going home with $140 million.
MC David Connor, an ice hockey star player earns about $19 million from the tournament with $15 million annual salary, this year alone. Not including his $4 million endorsements from brands.
5. Football/Soccer
This is the most popular sport with huge viewers from different parts of the world. It is the world’s richest sport with the highest share ever. Football Soccer had about 43% of the financial sports market share. With a net market value of $600 billion, an average player earns 1.5 million yearly.
This is the most popular sport with huge viewers from different parts of the world.
It is the world’s richest sport with the highest share ever. Football Soccer had about 43% of the financial sports market share. With a net market value of $600 billion, an average player earns 1.5 million yearly.
6. Golf
Golf which is popularly referred to as the rich people sports currently has a net value of $7billion.
The world’s richest sports pays average pro-golfers about $80,000 yearly during a golfing tour. While a top-finish golfer earned about 1.8 million per tournament. PGA Tournament, one of the Golf Tournament earns about $10 million last year.
Like another world richest sports, Golf produces one of the top 19 richest sportsmen in the world.
Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer earns $43.3 million last year as his salary with $29.9 million worth of tournament prizes. This is excluding his endorsement deal of about $13 million from various brands.
7. Cricket
With about 15 active countries participating in the International Cricket Tournament, it makes the list of our richest sports in the world. Cricket net market value is about $6 billion currently with an average salary of $60,000 for an average cricketer.
Indian Premier League, one of its largest tournaments make $6333.62 million last year as its revenue. Each of its franchise also makes $79.2 million from the last season.
Virat Kohl, a crickets star is also one of the richest sportsmen in the world with yearly earnings of 24 million and $20 million from its endorsement deal.
8. Boxing
Boxing is one of the richest sports in the world, with a yearly salary of $50,000 for an average boxer. The world richest sports has a huge cash flow from its numerous tournament.
An example of a tournament that yields greatly is during Mayweather Vs Manny Pacquiao game which earns them about $410 million revenue.
Floyd Mayweather is one of the top rich sportsmen with earnings of about $285 million yearly. $275 million from prizes including many other endorsement deals.
9. Tennis
Tennis sports game witnessed about 1.1% growth this year with a net market value of $6.06 billion.
It has many richest athletes as an average player gets paid $30,000 yearly. French Open, the tennis best tournament has made about $2.6 million this year alone.
Tennis game is able to boast of 2 out of the richest sportsmen in the world. Roger Federer a tennis player makes about 77.2 million annually as his income, while Rafael Nadal makes 41.4 million yearly.
10. Auto racing
The last sports game on our list of the world’s richest sports is Auto racing. Its net value is currently $5 billion with an average income of racing stars to be 70,000 annually. By 2021, its net value is projected to be $6.5 billion. A pro-driver earns about $200,000 per race depending on the tournament.
Formula one, one of the biggest auto-racing tournaments makes $1830 million in its last season. With each team going home with $166.4 million as its revenue.
Sebastian Vettel, a pro-driver and auto racing star is also one of the richest sportsmen in the world with $42.3 million salary.
With the huge amount being paid to the sportsmen, one can under how the rich the sports game is.
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