It is quite common to read about certain athletes earning over 50 million dollars a year for their on-field antics. For example, some of the contracts recently signed by some well-known footballers with the Saudi League Clubs are well north of the 50 million. But what does it take to make the big bucks off the pitch. It is a different ball game altogether when it comes to advertisers.

1. Stephen Curry

The Golden State Warriors player earns an incredible $100 million from sponsorships and endorsements alone. He majorly rakes money from Under Armour, where he has his own line of sneakers, the Curry Brand. Apart from that, he has signed up deals with Callaway Golf, JP Morgan Chase, 2K Sports, Panini, Rakuten and Subway.

• Shohei Ohtani

This professional Japanese baseball hitter and pitcher plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He signed the deal on December 9, 2017 when he was just 23. Since then, he has gone on to garner global appeal thanks to his all-round skills of both a pitcher and hitter, which is rare in the sport. And that has got him into the $100 million club. His sponsorships and endorsements include New Balance, Seiko, Porsche Japan, Mitsubishi, Hugo Boss, Salesforce, Japan Airlines, Kose Cosmetics, Ito En and Kowa Company.

• LeBron James

The legend is still going strong at 40. The LA Lakers stalwart earned $85 million in endorsements and sponsorships alone. His major earnings off the field are high majorly due to the life time contract to Nike, there are also endorsements with PepsiCo and Beats by Dre, where he is a minority stakeholder. And add to that his association with Blaze Pizza, AT&T, Walmart, Kia and Audemars Piguet. Apart from that, his investments with Springhill Company and the Fenway Sports Group have helped him earn a substantial amount.

• Kevin Durant

The former Golden State Warriors and current Phoenix Suns player earned a handsome $50 million in endorsements alone. His lucrative deal with Nike along with sponsorships from Footlocker, FanDuel and Fanatics have added to his off the court income. He has also generated income through his investment firm 35V and has acquired stakes in American sports franchises.

• Lionel Messi

Arguably the greatest footballer of all time, Messi has earned around $70 million only through endorsements and sponsorship. At 38, he is still an advertiser’s delight despite the fact that he no longer plies his trade in Europe but is a part of the MLS.

His major endorsement income comes from Adidas, with whom he has a lifetime contract of $20 million. Then there are deals with Budweiser, PepsiCo, Mastercard and Gatorade. Also, his business ventures like MiM Hotels, The Messi Store, Mas+ by Messi and 525 Rosario have added to his off the field inflow.

• Cristiano Ronaldo

If Messi makes the list, how cannot his long term rival Cristiano Ronaldo be left out. Endorsement and sponsorship income of $50 million, CR& has earned it through his lifetime deal with Nike. Apart from this he endorses Binance, LV, Jacob & Co., DAZN, Herbalife, Aroya Cruises, Clear Shampoo and MTG.

So that wraps up the list, but we are pretty certain a few names will make it the cut next year. One name we at Sportynomics are banking on is Giannis Antetokounmpo.