Want to know the secret to getting rich quickly? Pick up a set of golf clubs or a soccer ball and practice as hard as you can. This year’s list of Australia’s top earning sports stars from BRW magazine reveals that golf, soccer and motorsport remain the b
Want to know the secret to getting rich quickly? Pick up a set of golf clubs or a soccer ball and practice as hard as you can. This year’s list of Australia’s top earning sports stars from BRW magazine reveals that golf, soccer and motorsport remain the best-paid sports.
Veteran golfer Greg Norman tops the list with gross earnings of $20.9 million in 2008. While Norman plays irregularly these days, his endorsements and golf course design business ensure the cash keeps rolling in.
Second on the list is soccer star Harry Kewell, whose earnings dropped from $11 million to $10.5 million this year after he moved from English soccer giant Liverpool to Turkish club Galatasaray.
In third and fourth are the motorsport stars Chad Reed (earnings of $8.7 million) and formula one driver Mark Webber ($8.5 million). Reed, a motocross star in the United States, is joined in the top 10 by fellow motorbike rider Mat Mladin, who raked in $6.5 million. Both men are relatively unknown in Australia, but are stars on the lucrative US motocross scene.
In total there are 15 golfers on the list, including Norman and Adam Scott, who ranked 10th with earnings of $5.8 million in 2008.
There are 10 representatives from motor sport and soccer has nine. Cricketers account for seven members of the list, with Australian captain Ricky Ponting leading the charge with $3.05 million.
Only two women made the list, golfers Katherine Hull (ranked 44th with $1.2 million in earnings) and Karrie Webb (ranked 48th with $1.1 million).
Norman is easily Australia’s wealthiest sports person. Earlier this year BRW valued his fortune at $254 million.
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