Table of Contents
The World’s Top 12 Richest/Most-Paid Sports [2022 Edition]
To mention a few, the most-paid sports, such as basketball and football, receive unprecedented affection and attention from fans all around the world. The sports industry, which is a profitable professional path, features some of the highest-paid individuals who enjoy fandom and live glamorous lives. Sports have been a part of our culture since the stone era, bringing people quick delight and thrills.
Indeed, sports contribute to the development of strong links between countries and the creation of harmony through mutual cooperation.
In terms of fame and money, the sports business today has a global net worth of roughly $1.3 trillion.
Go through the listicle below to find the top 12 highest-paid / most-paid sports in the world. (And let us know if it shocked you!)
The World’s Top 12 Richest/Most-Paid Sports
The sports sector is rife with entertainment elements, rich deals, and well-known stars.
Here, we’ll look at the wealthiest athletes and the fame and fortune they’ve amassed.
Volleyball (12th)
- $273.1 million is the current industry value.
- The average wage is $44,680.
Volleyball, starting at the bottom of the list, has been a growing sport.
Most considered it a “girl’s game,” yet it has been expanding in the global market.
Volleyball has a global market value of $261.1 million today.
When it comes to professional wages, volleyball players make an average of $19,910 to $187,200, with a typical pay of $44,680.
It is also recognized as a recreational pastime, and almost 800 million individuals worldwide enjoy it.
It is currently the most popular in Brazil. Ivan Zaytsev is known as “the king of volleyball” because he is the most popular volleyball player.
Meanwhile, great volleyball players include Wilfredo Leon, Jenia Grebennikov, and Matthew Anderson, to name a few.
Boxing (11th)
- $348.4 million is the current industry value.
- $50,000 is the average wage.
Boxing has long been one of the most enjoyable and well-known sports in the world, because of the thrills and adrenaline it provides.
However, its popularity has been steadily dwindling.
Boxing has a global industry worth $348.4 million today.
Furthermore, a professional boxer is expected to make $50,000 on average.
Professional fighters earn between $1,000 and $4,000 per battle as amateurs.
Similarly, it gradually rises to a range of $5,000 to $10,000 every bout.
Not to mention, boxers receive additional incentives for the fights they win, as well as separate sponsors and endorsement deals.
Today’s fighters include Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Sugar Ray Robinson, and many others.
Overall, it is the most popular in the United States, with Las Vegas serving as its focal point.
Among the notable boxers are Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and Floyd Mayweather.
ten. automobile racing
- Industry value today: $5 billion
- $70,000 is the average pay.With a global market worth of $5 billion, auto racing ranks among the top ten.
Furthermore, according to projections, the global market value of this field will reach $9.4 billion by 2026.
Sponsorship, advertising, ticketing, merchandise, hosting fees, and broadcasting all contribute to this revenue.
Similarly, a professional auto racer is reported to earn $70,000 on average.
It also starts with a typical annual salary of $40,904, which equates to $19.67 per hour.
It can also earn up to $130,000 for each race.
Similarly, it is the most popular during the Monaco Grand Prix, and the sport as a whole draws approximately 87.4 million spectators.
Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and Ken Block are among the wealthiest car racers.
9. The current market value of cricket is $6 billion.
$60,000 is the average pay
One of the most well-known sports, with an estimated viewership of 2 to 3 billion people, has a global market worth $6 billion. According to viewership ratings, cricket is most popular in India, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Cricket
Furthermore, the wage disparity starts at roughly $20,000.
Joe Root, Virat Kohli, Tim Paine, and others are among the greatest and wealthiest cricketers in the world.
In terms of overall dominance, cricket has grown steadily over the years.
Tennis
Tennis has a current industry value of $6.06 billion.
The average wage is $64,033.
Tennis is frequently referred to as a classic sport that has grown in popularity in recent years.
According to data, over 87 million individuals participate in it, with a global market worth $6.06 million.
It’s really popular in Australia.
Professional tennis players earn an average annual pay of $64,033.
It also indicates a median salary of $31,000 and an average career prize money of $300,000.
Similarly, they make a good living from sponsorship deals and appearance fees.
Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and Rodger Federer are among the wealthiest tennis players today.
7. The current value of the golf industry is $129.9 billion.
- Average annual salary: $51,890
With the outbreak of the global pandemic, golf has emerged as the silver lining in the black cloud.
That stereotyped title as a game for “wealthy old men” is long gone since it is enjoyed by people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Meanwhile, this sport has a global market worth $7 billion, and about 30 million people participate in it simply in the United States.
In terms of wages, professional golfers make an average of $51,890 per year.
They make about $24,072 per year or $12 per hour as golf beginners.
Despite the low basic income, they make enough money through endorsements and sponsorships.
Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, and Greg Norman are among the most wealthy golfers today.
Sixth. Cycling
- The current worth of the industry is $147.24 billion.
- The average pay is $65,454.
The Tour de France is without a doubt the most difficult and largest cycling event.
Cycling is also well-known in novels and in other parts of the world.
When only bicycle clothing is included, the global market value is USD 3241.8 million.
Cycling once had a staggering global market value of $57.49 billion.
Professional cyclists make an average of $65,454 per year or $31.47 per hour.
Professionals can typically earn up to $171,000. On the UCI World Tour, however, they earn a minimum wage of $2.35 million.
Chris Froome, Tadej Pogaar, and Primo Rogli are now the world’s richest cyclists.
Continue reading about the top ten most deadly sports of all time by clicking here.
5. Hockey on Ice
- Currently, the industry is worth $60 billion.
- The average wage is $2.69 million.
Ice hockey is one of the top five richest sports, with a fan base of approximately 2.2 billion people.
As the most popular sport, it is spreading globally and has a global market worth $60 billion.
The average salary of professional NHL players is expected to be around $2.69 million in 2022.
The starting point for the minimum wage is around $700,000. Meanwhile, they have sponsorship agreements for their equipment and gear.
McDavid Connor is now the highest-paid NHL player, followed by Panarin Artemi.
Joe Sakic is now the highest-paid NHL player.
4. Football (Football)
- Industry worth today: $600 billion
- The average pay is $1.5 million.
Soccer, often known as football, is played in nearly 200 nations by around 250 million people.
It is one of the most well-known sports, with a $600 billion global market value.
Similarly, the average salary of a professional athlete in this industry is $398,725.
Typically, the income ranges from $14,441 to $384,204.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar are the three highest-paid soccer players in the world.
3. Football in America
- Industry value today: $200 billion
- The average pay is $860,000.
American football, often known as rugby, is a popular sport all over the world.
According to the report, approximately 3.5 billion people participated.
The American football industry currently has a global market value of $200 billion.
The starting wage is $660 thousand, with an average compensation of $860,000.
This sport pays $435,000 to a rookie.
Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers are among the highest-paid NFL players.
Baseball 2.
- Industry value today: $40 billion
- The average wage is $4.17 million.
Baseball remains one of the most popular sports in the world, despite fluctuations in viewership and playtime.
As a result, it has a global market value of $40 million.
According to sources, an MLB player earns approximately $4.17 million per year, with minimum average pay of $570.5 thousand.
With an annual salary of 37.17 million US dollars, Mike Trout is the highest-paid baseball player on their list.
Also, read Dimitrij Ovtcharov, Women’s World Cup Most Successful Teams Record, Ryan Hollins
1. Football
- Industry value today: $90 billion
- The average pay is $7 million.Basketball is the richest sport in the world, with a global market value of $90 billion.
It is also one of the top three most popular games worldwide.
Its global popularity has surpassed 2 to 2.5 billion admirers.
The majority of viewers in this game are from the United States, Canada, China, Japan, and the Philippines.
In addition, a basketball player gets an average income of $44,444, or $21.37 per hour.
LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook are among the highest-paid basketball players in the US.
- Basketball \sBaseball
- Rugby Soccer / American Football
- Cycling for Ice Hockey
- Tennis Cricket Automobile racing
- Boxing
- Volleyball