Tennis star Roger Federer is new to the list: These 7 athletes own over 1 billion US dollars

Sporting success as a basis:

• 20 Grand Slam titles and 103 tournament victories in 24 years
• 310 weeks as world number one
• Over $130 million in prize money (3rd place in the all-time rankings)

Business off the court:

Sponsorship contracts: Federer clearly surpasses his competitors in terms of endorsement deals. His premium sponsors include Mercedes-Benz, Rolex , Moët & Chandon, and especially Uniqlo – he signed a 10-year, $300 million contract with the Japanese outfitter in 2018.

Investments: His biggest coup was his 3 percent stake in the Swiss sporting goods company On in 2019. He invested around 50 million euros. After the IPO in 2021, the value of his shares shot up to over 375 million dollars.

Entrepreneurial activities: In 2013, Federer and his manager founded the agency Team8, which gave rise to the prestigious Laver Cup. He also invests in various startups.

Sporting success as a basis:

• 4 NBA championships and 4 MVP titles in 22 years
• 19 All-Star appearances and current NBA scoring record holder
• Over $500 million in NBA salaries (currently $48.8 million per year for the Los Angeles Lakers)

Business off the court:

Sponsorship contracts: James earns approximately $85 million annually. His premium sponsors include Nike (a lifetime contract worth $1 billion), Beats Electronics, LVMH , Taco Bell, and Draft Kings. In 2003, at the age of 18, he signed with Nike for a then-unprecedented seven-year contract of $90 million.

Investments: The key to his billionaire status: James was and is more than just an endorser; he was partially paid in equity shares of companies. His Beats by Dre stake brought him over $30 million in the 2014 Apple sale. His Blaze Pizza stake of less than $1 million is worth about $30 million today. He also owns about 1 percent of the Fenway Sports Group (valued at approximately $90 million out of a group valued at over $13 billion), which owns, among others, the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC.

Entrepreneurial activities: In 2021, James sold a minority stake in his film and TV production company, Spring Hill Company, to investors at a valuation of $725 million. He owns the largest single stake, valued at approximately $300 million. The company produces films such as "Space Jam: A New Legacy" and shows such as "The Shop" on HBO.

Sporting success as a basis:

• 15 major titles and 82 PGA Tour victories
• 683 weeks as world number one
• 121 million US dollars prize money

Shops off the square:

Sponsorship contracts: 90 percent of his wealth comes from sponsorship contracts—approximately $1.53 billion over 28 years. The largest deal: a 27-year partnership with Nike (1996-2024) for over $500 million. Other deals include Gatorade ($100 million over five years), Taylor Made, Monster Energy, American Express, and Rolex.

Investments: Real estate valued at $54 million, including his estate in Jupiter Island, Florida. Investments in luxury real estate venture Nexxus (with Justin Timberlake) and various tech startups.

Entrepreneurial activities: In 2016, Woods founded TGR Ventures as his business empire, which includes TGR Design for golf course design, The Woods Jupiter restaurant, TGR Live for events, and the TGR Foundation. In 2022, he partnered with golf legend Rory McIlroy and founded TMRW Sports, including the revolutionary TGL Golf League. Since May 2024, he has also launched his own premium apparel label, "Sun Day Red," making him the first co-owner of a brand rather than just an endorser.

Sporting success as a basis:

• 12 NBA seasons as a “Sixth Man”
• Average of 13.6 points per game in his career
• $2.95 million total NBA salary

Business off the court:

Fast-food empire: Bridgeman learned the restaurant business from the ground up, even working as a drive-through cashier at Wendy's during his NBA offseason. After initial losses, he built his portfolio to over 520 fast-food restaurants (Wendy's, Chili's, Fazoli's), generating $500 million in annual revenue. In 2016, he sold most of the restaurants for $250 million.

Coca-Cola coup: In 2017, he invested $290 million in Heartland Coca-Cola and became the beverage distributor for Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Nebraska. By 2023, sales tripled to nearly $1 billion annually.

Early investments: His first big deal: In 1978, he invested $150,000 in a cable television company owned by team owner Jim Fitzgerald and received $700,000 back five years later. This success paved the way for all subsequent deals.

Media mogul: In 2020, he saved Ebony and Jet magazines from bankruptcy for $14 million and transformed them into digital brands. His daughter, Eden Bridgeman Sklenar, now runs the magazines as CEO.

Back to the roots: In September 2024, just months before his death, he bought into the Milwaukee Bucks for an estimated $300 million with a 10 percent stake – the team that started it all.

Sporting success as a basis:

• 5 NBA championships and 3 Finals MVP awards in 13 years
• 3 MVP titles and 12 All-Star appearances
• About $40 million NBA salary

Business off the court:

The insurance coup: The bulk of his wealth is his 60 percent stake in Equi Trust Life Insurance. In 2015, Magic Johnson Enterprises acquired a majority stake in the company, whose assets have grown from $16 billion to $26 billion today. The company generates annual revenue of $2.6 billion.

The purchase price is not publicly disclosed, but the acquisition is being called the largest acquisition of a financial company by a minority business in history and made Equi Trust the largest minority-owned company in the life insurance industry in the United States.

Early investments: In 1998, he partnered with Starbucks and opened over 100 stores in Black neighborhoods. In 2010, he sold them for an estimated $100 million profit. He sold his Magic Johnson Theaters to Loews in 2004 for $100 million, having originally invested only $2 million. He also successfully invested in Simply Healthcare, which he sold for 16 times his original investment.

Sports empire: In 2012, he wrote a $50 million check for a 2.3 percent stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers, which is now worth over $110 million. He also holds shares in the Washington Commanders (NFL), Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA), and LAFC (MLS). In 2023, he became co-owner of the Washington Commanders in a $6.05 billion deal—the most expensive sports team acquisition in North America.

Entrepreneurial activities: In 1987, he founded Magic Johnson Enterprises as an investment firm focused on underserved urban communities. The company held stakes in Burger King restaurants, 24-Hour Fitness centers, and a Coca-Cola bottling plant. Through the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund, he invested over $1 billion in real estate projects to revitalize downtown areas.

The missed Nike deal: Johnson still regrets turning down Nike shares in the 1970s in favor of a $100,000 deal with Converse—shares that would be worth $5 billion today.

Sporting success as a basis:

• 1970 French Open Doubles Champion (with Ilie Năstase)
• Multiple Davis Cup finals in the 1970s
• 1964 Winter Olympics as ice hockey player for Romania (12th place)

The real gold mines – business off the court:

Foresighted: After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Tiriac immediately recognized the opportunity and founded Banca Tiriac – the first private bank in post-communist Romania – in 1990. Within just two years of the fall of the Wall, he was already worth over 100 million US dollars. In 2015, he sold his 45 percent stake in the institution, which had since become Unicredit Tiriac Bank, for an estimated 700 million euros.

Tiriac Holdings business empire: His group includes Tiriac Auto (exclusive Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Ford dealerships), Allianz-Tiriac Asigurari (leading insurance company), Tiriac Leasing, Tiriac Air (luxury charter airline), and extensive real estate portfolios. In 1994, he founded the insurance company Asigurări Ion Tiriac, and in 2000, Allianz acquired a 52 percent stake.

Tennis mogul: Tiriac owns and developed the Mutua Madrid Open into one of the most prestigious ATP/WTA events. As manager from 1984 to 1993, he led Boris Becker to world number 1 (1991) and coached stars such as Ilie Năstase, Guillermo Vilas, Steffi Graf, and Goran Ivanišević.

Luxury collector: His Tiriac Collection includes over 400 luxury cars and motorcycles, including vehicles owned by Al Capone, Sammy Davis Jr., and Elton John. He is the only person in the world to own two Rolls-Royce Phantom IVs. His most expensive car, a 300 SLR Coupe, is worth over $100 million.

Real estate empire: In Bucharest, he developed the exclusive Stejarii Residential Club with 285 luxury apartments on 200 hectares. In 2018, he purchased the 2,250-hectare Tenuta Cortevecchia estate in Tuscany for €8 million.

Sporting success as a basis:

• 6 NBA championships and 6 Finals MVP awards with the Chicago Bulls
• 5 MVP titles and NBA record career average of 30.12 points
• $94 million NBA salary in 16 years

Business off the court:

Nike deal: In 1984, the rookie signed a $2.5 million Nike deal – today, the Jordan Brand generates over $5 billion in annual revenue for Nike. Jordan collects over $200 million annually in royalties. He has already received a total of $1.6 billion from Nike.

Charlotte Hornets coup: In 2010, he bought a majority stake in the basketball team for $275 million, and in 2023, he sold it for $3 billion—a 17-fold return and his largest single deal. He still holds a minority stake.

Diversification: Over $2.4 billion through deals with McDonald's, Gatorade, and Coca-Cola. Jordan owns steakhouses, car dealerships, an exclusive golf club (Grove XXIII with 100 members), and the tequila brand Cincoro.

NASCAR entrepreneur: In 2020, he founded 23XI Racing with Denny Hamlin for $150 million. The team has already won four races and is currently fighting a legal battle with NASCAR for better revenue sharing.

Other ventures include investments in Team Liquid (e-sports), a 1 percent stake in the Miami Marlins (baseball), and various tech startups. In 2023, the film "Air," about his Nike story, grossed $90 million.

Entrepreneurial philosophy: Jordan turns down deals under $10 million and even turned down an $80 million headphone contract because he doesn't wear headphones.

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