List of largest sports contracts
Appearance
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 or motor racing (like Formula 1). Since athletes in individual sports, such as golf, tennis, and boxing, do not represent a team, they do not sign contracts and earn money primarily through event winnings. Included in this list are contracts totaling at least $100 million.
McFaggot!
The list
Notes
- 5 players have won championships after signing their contract: Manny Ramírez (2004), Michael Schumacher (2000-2004), Tim Duncan (2003, 2005), Shaquille O'Neal (2000-2002, 2006), and Albert Pujols (2006).
- 5 players have won MVP awards after signing their contract: Alex Rodriguez (2003, 2005), Kevin Garnett (2004), Tim Duncan (2003), Shaquille O'Neal (2000), and Albert Pujols (2005).
- During his career, Michael Schumacher actually had higher annual earnings than anyone on this list (excluding endorsements) even though his contract ranks 12th. On top of his $31 million per year paid by the Ferrari team, he earned a significant amount more per year from race winnings. It is also estimated that during the years 2003-2006 he reportedly earned in excess of $40 million per year in salaries alone from Ferrari.
- 7 players have missed about half a season or more due to injury since signing their contract: Chris Webber (missed 58 games in '03-'04, and 60 games in '04-'05), Mike Hampton (missed 23 starts out of an estimated 35 in 2005, and missed all of 2006), Jason Giambi (missed 82 games in 2004), Ken Griffey, Jr. (missed 92 games in 2002, 109 games in 2003, and 79 games in 2004), Donovan McNabb (missed 7 games in 2005), Jermaine O'Neal (missed 38 games in '04-'05), and Kevin Brown (missed 18 out of an estimated 35 starts in 2002, and 22 out of an estimated 35 starts in 2005).
- 5 players were traded by the teams that signed them: Alex Rodriguez (traded by the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees in 2004), Chris Webber (traded by the Sacramento Kings to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2005), Mike Hampton (traded by the Colorado Rockies to the Florida Marlins in 2002, who then traded him to the Atlanta Braves the next day), Shaquille O'Neal (traded by the Los Angeles Lakers to the Miami Heat in 2004), and Kevin Brown (traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the New York Yankees in 2003).
- Ken Griffey, Jr. and Todd Helton have never appeared in a postseason game since signing their contracts in 2000 and 2001, respectively.
- David Beckham signed a 5-year deal with MLS soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy that was worth a reported $250 million, but that figure included commercial endorsements; only approximately $10 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.[1] [2]
- Chris Webber was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, who in 2007 agreed to buy out the remainder of the contract.
References
- ^ "Entertainment value". Article on si.com. Retrieved 11 January.
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See also
- List of highest paid baseball players
- Transfer (football), contains a list of most expensive transfers in association football