Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in Top 10 MOST VALUABLE sponsorships in sport
Take a look at these mega stars and find out just how much their sponsorship deals are worth...
The richest sports stars on their planet make millions from plying their trade but they can make just as much through sponsors.
From 15-time major champion Tiger Woods to the 20-time grand slam winner Roger Federer, big brands line for endorsement deals.
Giants such as Adidas and Nike compete to try and get these athletes to wear their gear and the figures are simply staggering.
GolfMagic decided to delve a little deeper and find out a little bit more about the biggest sponsorship deals in sport.
It is no surprise that the big cat features alongside Rory McIlroy, but there are some surprises along the way.
Here are the top 10:
Roger Federer - Uniqlo
Federer famously left Nike and signed to wear Uniqlo in 2018. The eight-time Wimbledon champion signed a 10-year deal reportedly with £219 million.
LeBron James - Nike
James signed a lifetime deal with Nike in 2015 that is said to be worth £733 million. That means it is worth just over $1 billion.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Nike
The superstar, who rejoined Manchester United in the summer after leaving Juventus, has also signed a lifetime deal with the brand. Like LeBron James, he will earn approximately £733 million. Forbes reported last year that last year Ronaldo earned around $100 million, with half of that coming off the field.
Michael Jordan - Nike
The legendary basketball player first signed with Nike in 1984. He reportedly has earned $1 billion from his association. At the time he signed the deal Converse and Adidas ruled the trainer business. But Nike promised Jordan his own line of shoes and paid him in the region of $500,000 a year. The rest, as they say, is history.
Lionel Messi - Adidas
Messi signed with the brand in 2006 when his career took off at Barcelona. He is now on a lifetime deal and is said to make around $20 million a year from the association.
Rory McIlroy - Nike
McIlroy is one of the most popular players in the sports despite years without winning a major. Now 32, he signed a 10-year deal in 2013 worth £180 million. Nike stopped making golf equipment meaning McIlroy was able to sign with TaylorMade.
Steph Curry - Under Armour
Curry is an icon the NBA and has been one of the greatest players to ever play for the Golden State Warriors. He signed a deal with Under Armour said to be worth £16 million a year back in 2013 which runs out in 2024.
Kevin Durant - Nike
Durant signed a 10-year deal with Nike in 2014 said to be worth £270 million. Now 33 years old, Durant is twice an NBA Champion in 2017 and 2018 and was named the MVP for each of those seasons.
Tiger Woods - Nike
Woods is now 45 years old and when he signed his deal with Nike back in 1996 the figures were just crazy. He signed a five-year deal worth £30 million and then extended it a few years later worth an extra £80 million. Nike no longer make golf equipment but he still wears their clothing. A plethora of sponsors still sponsor Woods. They include Bridgestone, Monster Energy, Rolex, TaylorMade and Upper Deck to name a few.
