24/7 Insights
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- The highest-paid athletes in the 1990s were mostly boxers or in the NBA.
- At least one athlete on this list made and lost a fortune.
- Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever
Coming out of the 1980s, a time of excess everything, the 1990s looked more like the same. This was true because pro athletes’ salaries skyrocketed during this time. Basketball players went from well-paid to very rich over a decade, and the same was starting to take place for athletes in the NFL, MLB, PGA, and other professional leagues.
While athlete contracts in the 1990s were not like today’s, they were jaw-dropping for the period. Everyone from Michael Jordan and Mike Tyson to Tiger Woods was making money hand over fist. Using online data from Topend Sports and YouTube, we can create a list in descending order of the highest-paid athletes of the 1990s based on their net worth at the end of the decade.
Why Is This Important?
Most of these athletes’ riches came from sponsorships, not from the teams or sports they played for or on. Brands like Nike made Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan super-rich, while Mike Tyson made money from video games with his name attached. As many companies paying these athletes absurd amounts of money are often covered on 24/7 Wall St, this list makes a lot of sense.
10. Wayne Gretzky
- Sport: Hockey
- Endorsements: Coca-Cola, Upper Deck, Nike
- Net worth: $110 million
The Great One
One of the greatest hockey players ever to skate on the ice, Wayne Gretzky, more than earned his nickname “The Great One.” By the time Gretzky retired in 1999, he had 61 NHL records and had won four Stanley Cups during his 20 NHL seasons.
9. George Foreman
- Sport: Boxing
- Endorsements: George Foreman Grill, KFC, Meineke
- Net worth: $120 million
Big George
A two-time world heavyweight champion, George Foreman is well known for his boxing comeback after his prime and grill empire. In the 1990s, George Foreman grill commercials were everywhere, undoubtedly contributing to his massive earnings over the decade.
8. Greg Norman
- Sport: Golf
- Endorsements: Reebok, Cobra Golf
- Net worth: $130 million
The Shark
Greg Norman, the winner of 88 golf tournaments, is one of the biggest names in the sport’s history. One of the few golfers who has truly parlayed his career into a fantastic business, Norman’s endorsements and business acumen helped him earn additional income in golf course design.
7. Arnold Palmer
- Sport: Golf
- Endorsements: Rolex, Penzzoil
- Net worth: $140 million
The King
One of golf’s most popular stars, Arnold Palmer, is a legend on and off the golf course. In addition to his career success, which totaled 95 wins, Palmer is also well known for designing more than 300 golf courses, contributing to his significant earnings over the 1990s.
6. Andre Agassi
- Sport: Tennis
- Endorsements: Nike, Canon, American Express
- Net worth: $150 million
The Punisher
During Andre Agassi’s legendary 20-year professional tennis tour, he was known as “The Punisher” for his dominance on the court. His success in completing the Career Golden Slam and Career Super Slam helped propel his earnings during the 1990s well beyond any previous tennis star.
5. Shaquille O’Neal
- Sport: Basketball
- Endorsements: Reebok, Pepsi, Taco Bell
- Net worth: $180 million
Shaq Diesel
A man of many nicknames, Shaquille O’Neal’s oversized personality and dominance on the basketball court helped him earn a fortune. His face-offs with Michael Jordan in the playoffs were the stuff of NBA legend, only to be surpassed over the last two decades by his generosity off the court in helping the less fortunate.
4. Tiger Woods
- Sport: Golf
- Endorsements: Nike, American Express, Titleist
- Net worth: $200 million
The Michael Jordan of Golf
Just as the NBA world had never seen a player as dominant as Michael Jordan, the same was true of the PGA Tour and Tiger Woods. By the second half of the 1990s, Tiger Woods was a golf phenomenon, winning the biggest golf tournaments in the world and making it look easy.
3. Evander Holyfield
- Sport: Boxing
- Endorsements: Coca-Cola
- Net worth: $250 million
“The Real Deal” Holyfield
Evander Holyfield, the world’s second most popular boxer behind Mike Tyson, earned over $60.5 million in 1991 alone. His strength in the ring helped him notch 44 wins, of which 29 were by knockout. Over his career, Holyfield fought 57 times, including earning a gold medal in 1984 at the Los Angeles Olympics.
2. Mike Tyson
- Sport: Boxing
- Endorsements: Pepsi, Nintendo
- Net worth: $300 million
Iron Mike
Iron Mike Tyson, the most famous boxer in the world after Mohammad Ali, was also the most feared athlete on the planet. His boxing record helped him earn a whopping $300 million throughout the 1990s, although he would lose much of his fortune the following decade.
1. Michael Jordan
- Sport: Basketball
- Endorsements: Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, McDonalds
- Net worth: $400 million
Air Jordan
Undoubtedly the most famous athlete in the world during the 1990s, Michael Jordan was everywhere. His six NBA titles, movie roles, and Olympic gold medals helped make him the wealthiest athlete during the decade. To this day, Michael Jordan remains the richest athlete of all time, with a net worth exceeding $3 billion.
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