The latest list shows just how much money is rolling in for athletes from all kinds of sports, racking up a combined total of $6.2 billion in 2024.
This includes a hefty $4.8 billion from salaries and prize money, along with $1.4 billion from sponsorships and other deals.
Cristiano Ronaldo is sitting pretty at the top, and shockingly, no women made the list—although Coco Gauff did come close, earning $30.4 million.
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What’s really surprising? Skateboarders didn’t make the cut at all. Even with its rich culture, huge fanbase, and Olympic recognition, skateboarding is still missing from the ranks of top earners.
Sure, some of the best skaters score decent sponsorships and brand partnerships, but there’s still a massive financial gap between skateboarding and mainstream sports like the NBA, NFL, and European soccer.
The highest-paid athletes often rake in big bucks thanks to team salaries, massive endorsement deals, and leagues that provide steady paychecks.
Skateboarding works differently. Instead of cushy contracts with broadcasting deals, most skaters rely on sponsorships, competition earnings, and selling their own products.
Even the highest-paid skaters don’t see the same guaranteed income that you’d find in team sports.
That said, top pro skaters like Nyjah Huston, Paul Rodriguez, and Leticia Bufoni are doing pretty well for themselves.
They’ve built solid personal brands and pull in cash from skate shoe deals, energy drink sponsors, and social media.
But when you stack their earnings against the big leagues like the NBA or the Premier League, it just doesn’t compare.
Skateboarding has definitely made strides, gaining more mainstream attention and better sponsorship deals than before.
But if we’re talking about breaking into the top earner ranks, there’s still a long way to go.
Until skateboarding can change the way it makes money on a global level, we might be waiting a while to see a skateboarder on the list below.
