List of largest sports contracts

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The following is a list of the largest sports contracts. These figures include signing bonuses but exclude options, buyouts, and endorsement deals. This list does not reflect the highest annual salaries or career earnings, only the largest contracts and thus is limited to athletes in team sports and auto racing. Athletes in individual sports, such as golf, tennis, and boxing are not employed by a team and usually earn money primarily through event winnings. This list also does not necessarily reflect actual money collected by the athletes, since some contracts are eventually terminated (usually due to an athlete either retiring or invoking his opt-out clause). Included in this list are contracts totaling at least $100 million USD.

Contents

[edit] Largest sports contracts

Rank Player Team Sport Length of contract Contract value (USD) Average per year (USD)
1 Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees Baseball 10 years (2008-2018) $275,000,000 [1] $27,500,000
2 Alex Rodriguez1 Texas Rangers* Baseball 10 years (2001-2010) $252,000,000 [2] $25,200,000
3 Derek Jeter New York Yankees Baseball 10 years (2001-2010) $189,000,000 [3] $18,900,000
4 Mark Teixeira New York Yankees Baseball 8 years (2009-2016) $180,000,000 [4] $22,500,000
5 CC Sabathia New York Yankees Baseball 7 years (2009-2015) $161,000,000 [5] $23,000,000
6 Manny Ramírez Boston Red Sox* Baseball 8 years (2001-2008) $160,000,000 [6] $20,000,000
6 Fernando Alonso2 McLaren* Auto racing 4 years (2007-2010) $160,000,000 [7] $40,000,000
8 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari Auto racing 3 years (2007-2009) $153,000,000 [8] $51,000,000
9 Miguel Cabrera Detroit Tigers Baseball 8 years (2008-2015) $152,300,000 [9] $19,037,500
10 Todd Helton Colorado Rockies Baseball 11 years (2001-2011) $151,500,000 [10] $13,772,727
11 Johan Santana New York Mets Baseball 6 years (2008-2013) $137,500,000 [11] $22,916,667
12 Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers Basketball 7 years (2004-2011) $136,400,000 [12] $19,485,714
13 Alfonso Soriano Chicago Cubs Baseball 8 years (2007-2014) $136,000,000 [13] $17,000,000
14 Michael Vick3 Atlanta Falcons* American football 10 years (2005-2014) $130,000,000 [14] $13,000,000
15 Jermaine O'Neal Indiana Pacers* Basketball 7 years (2003-2010) $126,558,000 [15] $18,079,714
16 Kevin Garnett Minnesota Timberwolves* Basketball 6 years (1999-2005) $126,000,000 [16] $21,000,000
16 Barry Zito San Francisco Giants Baseball 7 years (2007-2013) $126,000,000 [17] $18,000,000
16 Vernon Wells Toronto Blue Jays Baseball 7 years (2008-2014) $126,000,000 [18] $18,000,000
16 Rashard Lewis Orlando Magic Basketball 6 years (2007-2013) $126,000,000 [19] $21,000,000
20 Michael SchumacherR Ferrari Auto racing 4 years (1996-1999) $124,000,000 [20] $31,000,000
20 Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals Ice hockey 13 years (2008-2021) $124,000,000 [21] $9,538,461
22 Chris Webber Sacramento Kings* Basketball 7 years (2001-2007) $122,718,750 [22] $17,531,250
23 Tim Duncan San Antonio Spurs Basketball 7 years (2003-2010) $122,007,704 [23] $17,429,672
24 Mike Hampton Colorado Rockies* Baseball 8 years (2001-2008) $121,000,000 [24] $15,125,000
25 Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers* Basketball 7 years (1996-2003) $120,000,000 [25] $17,142,857
25 Jason Giambi New York Yankees* Baseball 7 years (2002-2008) $120,000,000 [26] $17,142,857
27 Carson Palmer Cincinnati Bengals American football 9 years (2006-2014) $119,750,000‡ [27] $13,305,555
28 Carlos Beltrán New York Mets Baseball 7 years (2005-2011) $119,000,000 [28] $17,000,000
29 Ken Griffey, Jr. Cincinnati Reds* Baseball 9 years (2000-2008) $116,500,000 [29] $12,944,444
30 Donovan McNabb Philadelphia Eagles American football 12 years (2002-2013) $115,000,000‡ [30] $9,583,333
31 Gilbert Arenas Washington Wizards Basketball 6 Years (2008-2013) $111,000,000 [31] $18,500,000
32 Juwan Howard Washington Wizards* Basketball 7 years (1996-2003) $105,000,000 [32] $15,000,000
32 Kevin BrownR Los Angeles Dodgers* Baseball 7 years (1999-2005) $105,000,000 [33] $15,000,000
34 Jason Kidd New Jersey Nets* Basketball 6 years (2003-2009) $103,572,000 [34] $17,262,000
35 Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh Steelers American Football 8 years (2008-2015) $102,000,000 [35] $12,750,000
36 Albert Pujols St. Louis Cardinals Baseball 7 years (2004-2010) $100,000,000 [36] $14,285,714
36 Carlos Lee Houston Astros Baseball 6 years (2007-2012) $100,000,000 [37] $16,666,666
36 Shaquille O'Neal Miami Heat* Basketball 5 years (2005-2010) $100,000,000 [38] $20,000,000
36 Brett Favre4 Green Bay Packers* American Football 10 years (2001-2010) $100,000,000 [39] $10,000,000
36 Albert Haynesworth Washington Redskins American Football 7 years (2009-2016) $100,000,000 [40] $14,285,714

1 - Rodriguez opted out of this contract after the 2007 season
 2 - Alonso opted out of this contract after the 2007 season
 3 - Vick's contract was terminated by the Atlanta Falcons after the 2006 season
 4 - Favre was unconditionally released from his contract by the New York Jets after the 2008 season
 R - retired
 * - no longer on team
‡ - not guaranteed

[edit] Notes

  • Contracts in the NFL are often not guaranteed, meaning that players who retire, or who are cut, do not receive their contracted salaries after their release from the team.
  • NBA and NHL seasons span two calendar years.
  • Michael Vick was suspended by the NFL in 2007. The Atlanta Falcons were unsuccessful in a civil legal process to attempt to recoup $20 million of the $37 million in bonuses paid to Vick under terms of his contract extension.
  • During his contract years, Michael Schumacher had significantly higher annual earnings than the athletes on this list with larger total contracts. On top of his $31 million per year paid by the Ferrari team, which alone ranked as the highest annual earnings at the time, he also earned a significant amount more per year from race winnings.
  • David Beckham signed a 5-year deal with MLS soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy that was worth a reported $251 million,[1] but that figure included commercial endorsements; only $5 million a year of that figure is salary from the club, while the rest will come via existing endorsements and profit sharing with the club.[2][3]
  • Lewis Hamilton signed a contract with McLaren Mercedes worth at least ₤70 million ($138 million USD) over 5 seasons (2008-2012). However, no official contract details have been released by the team.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ ABC News. Beckham Looking Forward to U.S. Challenge. January 12, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
  2. ^ "Entertainment value". Article on si.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/01/11/bc.soccer.beckham.contract/. Retrieved 11 January 2007. 
  3. ^ Chang, Jen. "Debunking the myths behind Beckham's contract". ESPN Soccernet. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=399597&root=mls&cc=5901. Retrieved 12 January 2007. 
  4. ^ Gorman, Edward. "Lewis Hamilton saving for a rainy day". The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3523351.ece. Retrieved 10 March 2008. 

[edit] See also

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