Michael Jordan is the richest athlete in the world, regaining the top spot in the Forbes list for the fifth time in six years and displacing Mike Tyson at No. 1
Jordan will earn $78.3 million in 1997, the magazine estimated, getting $31.3 million from the Chicago Bulls and $47 million from endorsements and other income.In announcing its Super 40 list, Forbes put heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield in second place at $54.3 million. He earned $53 million in prize money and $1.3 million in endorsements.
Boxer Oscar De La Hoya was third with $38 million, followed by Formula One driver Michael Schumacher ($35 million), Tyson ($27 million) and Tiger Woods ($26.1 million).
Woods' endorsement and other income was $24 million, second to Jordan. NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt is third in that category ($15.5 million) followed by Los Angeles Lakes center Shaquille O'Neal ($12.5 million).
On the overall list, O'Neal is seventh ($24.5 million), followed by Earnhardt ($19.1 million), Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic ($17.9 million) and Detroit Pistons forward Grant Hill ($17 million).
Eleven NBA players are in the top 40, up from nine last year. There are seven baseball players (up from five), seven boxers, four golfers, three NHL players, three tennis players, three race car drivers, and two NFL players.
Other NBA players are: Orlando's Horace Grant (13th at $14.9 million); San Antonio's David Robinson (18th at $13.2 million); Miami's Alonzo Mourning (20th at $13.2 million); Washington's Juwan Howard (23rd at $11.2 million); Seattle's Gary Payton (24th at $11.2 million); Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon (26th at $11 million); Chicago's Dennis Rodman (27th at $11 million); and Indiana's Reggie Miller (30th at $10.4 million).
Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr. topped baseball players, in 17th place at $13.2 million, just ahead of Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr., 19th at $13 million. There were seven baseball players, up from five last year. The others were: Atlanta's Greg Maddux (25th at $11 million); Los Angeles' Mike Piazza (29th at $10.6 million); the Chicago White Sox's Albert Belle (31st at $10.4 million); the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa (37th at $9.5 million); and the Chicago White Sox's Frank Thomas (39th at $9.3 million).
Detroit's Barry Sanders is the top-earning NFL player, in 33rd place at $10.2 million. The only other football player on the list is Green Bay's Brett Favre (40th at $9.2 million).
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Big money
NEW YORK (AP) - The 40 athletes who earned the most in 1997, as estimated by Forbes in its Dec. 15 issue. The salary/winnings figure includes salary, prize money and earned incentive bonuses. Endorsements include licensing money and appearance and exhibition fees. Income from side businesses and equity partnerships is not counted. The magazine does not say how it treats deferred compensation. Figures are in millions.
Name Sport Salary Endorse Total
1. Michael Jordan Basketball 31.3 47.0 78.3
2. Evander Holyfield Boxing 53.0 1.3 54.3
3. Oscar De La Hoya Boxing 37.0 1.0 38.0
4. Michael Schumacher Auto racing 25.0 10.0 35.0
5. Mike Tyson Boxing 27.0 0.0 27.0
6. Tiger Woods Golf 2.1 24.0 26.1
7. Shaquille O'Neal Basketball 12.9 12.5 25.4
8. Dale Earnhardt Auto racing 3.6 15.5 19.1
9. Joe Sakic Ice Hockey 17.8 0.1 17.9
10. Grant Hill Basketball 5.0 12.0 17.0
11. Greg Norman Golf 3.2 13.0 16.2
12. Arnold Palmer Golf 0.1 16.0 16.1
13. Horace Grant Basketball 14.5 0.4 14.9
14. George Foreman Boxing 10.2 4.5 14.7
15. Pete Sampras Tennis 6.5 8.0 14.5
16. Andre Agassi Tennis 0.1 14.0 14.1
17. Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball 6.7 6.5 13.2
18. David Robinson Basketball 11.2 2.0 13.2
19. Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball 8.8 4.2 13.0
20. Alonzo Mourning Basketball 9.5 3.5 13.0
21. Michael Chang Tennis 2.5 9.5 12.0
22. Naseem Hamed Boxing 9.5 2.5 12.0
23. Juwan Howard Basketball 10.0 1.2 11.2
24. Gary Payton Basketball 9.0 2.2 11.2
25. Greg Maddux Baseball 10.2 0.8 11.0
26. Hakeem Olajuwon Basketball 9.5 1.5 11.0
27. Dennis Rodman Basketball 5.0 6.0 11.0
28. Wayne Gretzky Ice Hockey 5.9 5.0 10.9
29. Mike Piazza Baseball 7.0 3.6 10.6
30. Reggie Miller Basketball 9.2 1.2 10.4
31. Albert Belle Baseball 10.0 0.4 10.4
32. Jeff Gordon Auto Racing 3.8 6.5 10.3
33. Barry Sanders Football 8.4 1.8 10.2
34. Chris Gratton Ice Hockey 10.0 0.1 10.1
35. Lennox Lewis Boxing 9.5 0.2 9.7
36. Michael Moorer Boxing 9.6 0.0 9.6
37. Sammy Sosa Baseball 9.3 0.2 9.5
38. Jack Nicklaus Golf 0.3 9.0 9.3
39. Frank Thomas Baseball 7.2 2.1 9.3
40. Brett Favre Football 5.6 3.6 9.2