For the fourth straight year, Sports Illustrated set out to rank the 50 top-earning American athletes (taking into account on and off the field income), and it's no surprise to see the familiar names at the top of the list. The most obvious? Tiger Woods has reached an otherworldly plateau of nearly $112 million. Boxing is back from the dead for now, thanks to No. 2 Oscar De La Hoya, and the Shaq and Kobe rivalry lives on.Half the list is made up of NBA players, while only 12 baseball players and five football players made the cut. There were three NASCAR drivers and just one woman (welcome, Michelle Wie!). Meanwhile, our International 20 list of the top-earning non-American athletes is dominated by soccer players, of whom there are nine, including Major League Soccer-bound David Beckham.
As always, we limited our estimates to salary, winnings, bonuses, endorsements and appearances. Candidates for the 50 had to be American citizens. For an in-depth analysis of who's on the Fortunate 50 and why, click here.
1. Tiger Woods
Pro Golf
Last Year's Rank: 1
$111,941,827
Mighty Tiger's handlers figure sports' first $100 million man's endorsement and appearance income increases an average of 13 percent a year.
2. Oscar De La Hoya
BoxingLast Year's Rank: NR
$55,000,000One last giant pay day? On top of $25 million purse, Golden Boy took home $28 million in pay-per-view receipts from the Mayweather title fight.
3. Phil Mickelson
Pro GolfLast Year's Rank: 2
$51,256,505One of sports' most reliable endorsers, Lefty is now at a point where his annual take in off-the-course income outdoes his total career winnings.
4. Shaquille O'Neal
Miami Heat (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 3
$35,000,000Shaq took 20,000-square foot mansion off the market last year when no one would meet $32 million asking price. Now he's trying again -- for $35 million.
5. Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 4
$33,718,750Need proof Kobe is a marketing genius? Since he switched from No. 8 to No. 24, his jersey has become the top seller in both the U.S. and China.
6. LeBron James
Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 6
$30,828,089King James' $2.1 million, 11-bedroom mansion near Akron is in the process of being refitted with a theater, bowling alley, casino and barber shop.
7. Kevin Garnett
Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 11
$29,000,000If dark forces are conspiring for NBA's highest-paid to find his way to L.A., don't be surprised: He idolized Magic Johnson's Showtime crew as a boy.
8. Derek Jeter
New York Yankees (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 7
$29,000,000Bronx scent? Jeter's three-step "Driven" skin-care products are a "quick and easy" way for men to take care of their face, says the Yankee captain.
9. Alex Rodriguez
New York Yankees (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 8
$28,000,000Still due $81 million over the next three years of his mega-contract, but could make more from another team if he chooses to opt out after '07.
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Auto RacingLast Year's Rank: 9
$27,111,735Departure from DEI, his late father's company, will prompt an unprecedented bidding war for No. 8; Junior merchandise brings in $30 million a year.
11. Allen Iverson
Denver Nuggets (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 14
$24,184,375All in the name: ABA's Ballerz will move from Richmond, Va., to Hampton Roads next season to be closer to co-owner Ann Iverson -- AI's mom.
12. Peyton Manning
Indianapolis Colts (NFL)Last Year's Rank: 18
$23,000,000Super Bowl MVP still clocks in as the highest-paid in the NFL and its top endorser -- and he's one of only five football players this year (all QBs).
13. Tracy McGrady
Houston Rockets (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 15
$22,901,500One happy family: Lasagna-lovin' T-Mac has his own personal chef, but makes frequent visits to the Chinese restaurant owned by Yao Ming's parents.
14. Barry Bonds
San Francisco Giants (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 32
$22,800,000Record-chasing Barry is getting $5 million in deferred payments from his previous contract in addition to his regular salary with the Giants.
15. Roger Clemens
New York Yankees (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 39
$22,500,000Rocket's full salary is $28,000,022 before proration. That extra $22 is to match his jersey number, a tradition he's kept up since his first MLB contract.
16. Jeff Gordon
Auto RacingLast Year's Rank: 17
$22,471,444He's beaten out every year on the Fortunate 50 by Earnhardt Jr., but No. 24 is still NASCAR's career leader in winnings, with more than $82 million.
17. Jason Giambi
New York Yankees (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 21
$22,000,000Slugger is due $50 million for two remaining years on his deal, but will the Yankees void his hefty contract after his recent steroid admission?
18. Tim Duncan
San Antonio Spurs (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 24
$20,929,672There's arguably no player more important to his team in the NBA, yet humble Duncan is merely the 10th highest-paid player in the league.
19. Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 20
$20,654,625Mark Cuban's paying former employee to go further in the playoffs than the Mavs: Dallas still owes Finley $35.9 million between this season and next.
20. Manny Ramirez
Boston Red Sox (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 19
$20,500,000Decent ballplayer, awful auctioneer: Besides his barbeque-on-eBay fiasco, Manny couldn't unload a tricked-out Lincoln at an Atlantic City auto auction.
21. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
BoxingLast Year's Rank: NR
$20,250,000Pretty Boy is the latest De La Hoya foe made very rich by the Golden Boy: Bernard Hopkins earned $15 million in '04 from his two-fight deal with Oscar.
22. Michelle Wie
GolfLast Year's Rank: NR
$20,235,224Holdin' it down for the ladies: With endorsement deals eclipsing $10 million and six-figure appearance fees, Wie should be a fixture on the 50 for years.
23. Vince Carter
New Jersey Nets (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 27
$20,101,625If Vinsanity opts out of his contract, as some speculate, he'll leave $16.4 million on the table for next season -- the highest salary of his career.
24. Michael Vick
Atlanta Falcons (NFL)Last Year's Rank: 10
$20,000,000Good thing Vick was paid a roster bonus of $7 million in March -- he'll need the money for a nasty legal battle surrounding his dog-fighting allegations.
25. Jason Kidd
New Jersey Nets (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 26
$19,584,000If the Nets can trade J-Kidd for expiring contracts, they'll clear $41.1 million in cap space by jettisoning a point guard who will be 36 when contract expires.
26. Stephon Marbury
New York Knicks (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 29
$19,184,375Starbury knows how to give back: In addition to his $15 line of sneakers, his $1 million donation to Katrina relief efforts was one of biggest by an athlete.
27. Jermaine O'Neal
Indiana Pacers (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 28
$18,834,000O'Neal's mammoth seven-year, $127 million contract will make him the NBA's second-highest paid in '09-10 (behind No. 13 McGrady) at $23 million.
28. Chris Webber
Detroit Pistons (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 16
$18,807,008Exit clause: C-Webb paid his former employers in Philadelphia $2 million to be bought out of his deal so he could sign with hometown Pistons.
29. Jalen Rose
Phoenix Suns (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 38
$18,691,500Rose is the latest benefactor of the salary-dumping Knicks' roster purge: New York bought him out for $15.1 million after cutting him last October.
30. Brett Favre
Green Bay Packers (NFL)Last Year's Rank: 31
$18,000,000Why Old Gray-Beard has incentive to pull a George Blanda: His current deal tops out at $14 million in salary in 2010 -- when Favre will turn 41.
31. Jimmie Johnson
Auto RacingLast Year's Rank: NR
$17,770,125Johnson's record NASCAR payout capped an '06 season in which he became only driver to win Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Nextel Cup in same year.
32. Baron Davis
Golden State Warriors (NBA)Last Year's Rank: NR
$17,570,000Time to book Jay-Z for the big 3-0? Davis' friends threw him a lavish 28th birthday party hosted by Mos Def at San Francisco hot spot Mezzanine.
33. Grant Hill
Orlando Magic (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 37
$17,151,500Grant's last stand? Oft-injured, but perennial good guy Hill is in the final season of the seven-year, $92.9 million deal Orlando signed him to in '00.
34. Vince Young
Tennessee Titans (NFL)Last Year's Rank: NR
$17,140,000Guess they're happy: Titans exercised a sixth-year option on their QB for $12.1 million, then paid him a bonus for taking most of the rookie snaps.
35. Todd Helton
Colorado Rockies (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 33
$16,900,000But which way to Peyton Place? Ex-Vol has a street named after him on University of Tennessee campus, near Pat Summitt St. and Phillip Fulmer Way.
36. Ben Wallace
Chicago Bulls (NBA)Last Year's Rank: NR
$16,680,000Big Ben is the only player of NBA's 30 best-paid with a career scoring average of less than 10 -- but did earn almost $20,000 per rebound this season.
37. Paul Pierce
Boston Celtics (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 41
$16,601,625Earning his charity stripes: 'The Truth' has merged many of his fundraising activities with those of fellow L.A. natives Baron Davis and Gilbert Arenas.
38. Andy Pettitte
New York Yankees (MLB)Last Year's Rank: NR
$16,500,000You can go home again: Pettitte bought a house less than a mile from the one he owned during his first go-around with the Yanks from '95 to '03.
39. Eddie Jones
Miami Heat (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 47
$15,930,000Back with the Heat again, Jones pulled a C-Webb: He paid the Grizzlies $300,000 to get out of the final year of his deal, which paid him $15.7 million.
40. Dwyane Wade
Miami Heat (NBA)Last Year's Rank: NR
$15,841,442Talk about parlaying your success. Following his heroics in the '06 NBA Finals, D-Wade renegotiated his Converse contract to nearly $10 million a year.
41. Jason Schmidt
Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB)Last Year's Rank: NR
$15,750,000Scott Boras is baseball's superagent, but Schmidt's reps -- brothers Randy & Alan Hendricks -- have three hurlers on this list earning combined $54 million.
42. Shawn Marion
Phoenix Suns (NBA)Last Year's Rank: NR
$15,670,000Incentive to stick around: The Matrix is the top-paid Sun, scheduled to earn $16.4 million next season and has a player option for '08-09 for $17.2 million.
43. Ray Allen
Seattle SuperSonics (NBA)Last Year's Rank: NR
$15,611,570With Rashard Lewis leaving, Allen is going to be The Man again: $16 million salary next year is almost $10 million more than next highest-paid Sonic.
44. Albert Pujols
St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 23
$15,500,000Hungry, Hombre? Visit the Cards slugger's high-tech St. Louis sports bar, Pujols 5, where every table has its own flat-screen TV with volume control.
45. Antawn Jamison
Washington Wizards (NBA)Last Year's Rank: NR
$15,371,625Looking forward to a big year from Antawn? Wizards forward has a $16.4 million player option next season, in which he'll be playing for a new deal.
46. Steve Francis
New York Knicks (NBA)Last Year's Rank: 43
$15,320,000Fisticuffs fanatic Francis is the president of PMG Boxing, a promotion firm in his native D.C. that will amost surely be his post-NBA place of business.
47. Tom Brady
New England Patriots (NFL)Last Year's Rank: 12
$15,006,720Now that's a team guy: Brady agreed to forgo a $6 million option bonus so the Pats had the cap room to sign notorious malcontent Randy Moss.
48. (Tie)Carlos Delgado
New York Mets (MLB)Last Year's Rank: NR
$15,000,000Mets slugger bought a new pillow in March after suffering a stiff neck but declined to name manufacturer, saying, "I'm not giving out any free plugs."
48. (Tie)Johnny Damon
New York Yankees (MLB)Last Year's Rank: 46
$15,000,000Rounds out record Fortunate 50 low of only five Bronx Bombers on the list -- but still earning a combined $98 million between them in salary alone.
50. Amaré Stoudemire
Phoenix Suns (NBA)Last Year's Rank: NR
$14,955,000Riding the wave: Would-be real estate mogul Amaré has two luxury condos and a $5 million mansion in the Phoenix area among his holdings.
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. (To read more about the soccer explosion on the 20, click here.)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. (To read more on the Spanish ace, click here.) 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.
1.Fernando Alonso
Auto Racing
SpainLast Year's Rank: 15
$35,000,0002. Ronaldinho
FC Barcelona (Soccer)
BrazilLast Year's Rank: 3
$32,700,0003. Roger Federer
Tennis
SwitzerlandLast Year's Rank: 7
$31,343,8854. Valentino Rossi
Motor Sports
ItalyLast Year's Rank: 2
$30,000,0005. David Beckham
Real Madrid/Los Angeles Galaxy (Soccer)
Great BritainLast Year's Rank: 5
$29,700,0006. Yao Ming
Houston Rockets (NBA)
ChinaLast Year's Rank: 13
$27,455,0007. Ichiro Suzuki
Seattle Mariners (MLB)
JapanLast Year's Rank: NR
$24,000,0008. Maria Sharapova
Tennis
RussiaLast Year's Rank: 4
$23,799,5019. Thierry Henry
Arsenal (Soccer)
FranceLast Year's Rank: NR
$21,400,00010. Michael Ballack
Chelsea (Soccer)
GermanyLast Year's Rank: NR
$20,900,00011. Ronaldo
AC Milan (Soccer)
BrazilLast Year's Rank: 8
$20,700,00012. Hideki Matsui
New York Yankees (MLB)
JapanLast Year's Rank: 9
$19,000,00013. Dirk Nowitzki
Dallas Mavericks (NBA)
GermanyLast Year's Rank: NR
$18,101,62514. Ralf Schumacher
Auto Racing
GermanyLast Year's Rank: 15
$18,000,00015. Andriy Shevchenko
Chelsea (Soccer)
UkraineLast Year's Rank: NR
$17,300,00016. Alfonso Soriano
Chicago Cubs (MLB)
Dominican RepublicLast Year's Rank: NR
$17,250,00017. Vijay Singh
Pro Golf
FijiLast Year's Rank: 11
$16,411,02618. Alessandro Del Piero
Juventus (Soccer)
ItalyLast Year's Rank: NR
$15,700,00019. John Terry
Chelsea (Soccer)
Great BritainLast Year's Rank: NR
$15,500,00020. Steven Gerrard
Liverpool (Soccer)
Great BritainLast Year's Rank: NR
$15,400,000
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2007/index.html
It's like a drop in the bucket for these guys.
