The highest paid athlete in the world in 2024 was soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who racked up on and off field earnings of around 260 million U.S. dollars. However, the Portuguese legend was one of only 12 soccer players to make it into the top 100 ranking of highest paid athletes. Meanwhile, 36 stars from the National Basketball Association made it into the top 100.

With each player taking home a handsome 8.32 million U.S. dollars every year, the NBA is the professional sports league with the highest player wages worldwide. In second place is the Indian Premier League, an annual cricket competition contested each year between eight franchises representing eight different Indian cities.

Big money in the NBA Although the wages that players in the NBA take home are astronomical, the average annual salaries vary from one team to another. Whilst the New York Knicks pay their players an average of 7.08 million U.S. dollars a year, Portland Trail Blazers spent around 10.04 million U.S. dollars annually on each of their stars in 2019/20. NBA salaries have tremendously increased throughout the years reaching 8.32 million U.S. dollars in 2019/20 compared to 4.6 million U.S. dollars in 2015/16.

Michael Jordan is the undisputed leader when it comes to the highest paid athletes in history. The basketball legend and former Chicago Bulls star was estimated to have earned a staggering 4.15 billion U.S. dollars throughout his career, thanks to his on-court accomplishments, endorsements, and ownership of the Charlotte Hornets. Jordan's enduring popularity and iconic status have cemented his place as one of the greatest athletes of all time. Golfers earning big bucks on and off the course Interestingly, the three of the next six athletes on the list of highest paid athletes of all time are all golfers. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods all earned a significant amount of money during their careers. These golfing greats managed to secure lucrative endorsement deals with major brands and also enjoyed success on the golf course, with multiple major championships to their names. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the way for soccer players Soccer can be considered one of the most popular sports in the world and the highest soccer player in the ranking of highest paid athletes is Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar was in third place on the list, with estimated lifetime earnings of over 2.2 billion U.S. dollars. Ronaldo's on-field achievements, combined with his large numbers of social media followers make him one of the most recognizable and highest-paid athletes of all time. Gender pay gap in sport In terms of female athletes, Serena Williams was the highest placed athlete on the list, coming in at 40th place, with lifetime earnings of 660 million U.S. dollars. Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time and won an impressive 23 Grand Slam titles during her career. She has also been a vocal advocate for women's rights and equal pay in sports, paving the way for future generations of female athletes to succeed and prosper. Serena Williams' relatively low rank on the list of highest paid athletes of all time is indicative of the gender pay gap that exists in sports. Despite being one of the most successful and dominant tennis players in history, Williams earned significantly less than many of her male counterparts. For example, Roger Federer, who won fewer Grand Slam titles than Williams, ranked ninth on the list, having earned ovwe 1.50 billion U.S. dollars throughout his career. This disparity in earnings is not unique to tennis, as it is a pervasive issue in sports across the board. Female athletes are often paid less than male athletes for performing the same job, even when they achieve comparable levels of success and generate similar levels of revenue. This gender pay gap within sports can be attributed to a variety of factors, including differences in media coverage, sponsorships, and endorsement deals.

1. General Information

League ID: A unique identifier (e.g., "L001") assigned to each league to allow easy referencing within the dataset. League Name: Official name of the sports league (e.g., Premier League, NBA). This field helps distinguish leagues by their global or regional branding. Country: The primary country or region where the league is based, giving insights into the geographical spread and local fan base.

2. Sport Type

Sport: Specifies the type of sport played in the league, such as Football, Basketball, American Football, or Cricket. This field is valuable for categorizing leagues and comparing similar sports across countries.

3. Financial Metrics

Revenue (USD): Estimated annual revenue generated by the league, presented in millions of USD. Revenue figures can reflect league profitability and influence on the sports economy. Average Player Salary (USD): The average annual salary of players within the league, also in millions of USD. This can indicate the level of investment in player talent and competitiveness within the league.

4. Teams and Structure

Top Team: A notable or high-performing team within the league, which helps identify prominent clubs or franchises that may drive popularity and revenue. Total Teams: The total number of teams participating in the league, providing a sense of the league's size and structure. Larger leagues may indicate more regional diversity and fan engagement. Founded Year: The year the league was established, offering historical context and allowing analysis of how older versus newer leagues perform financially and in popularity.

5. Popularity and Viewership

Viewership: Estimated viewership numbers in millions, indicating the league's global or regional popularity. High viewership can often correlate with higher sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and overall league valuation.

6. Analysis Applications

This dataset can be used for a variety of analyses:

Market Size Comparisons: Compare leagues by revenue and viewership across different countries and sports. Player Salary Trends: Assess trends in player salaries across leagues, helping understand the financial draw of each league. Viewership Patterns: Analyze which leagues have the largest fan bases and where these are located geographically. League Growth Potential: Determine which leagues are growing in revenue and popularity over time based on the founded year and financial metrics.

The highest paid athlete in the world in the 2024/2025 season was Cristiano Ronaldo. The Al-Nassr soccer star took home total earnings of 275 million U.S. dollars, of which an estimated 50 million U.S. dollars were off-field earnings through endorsements. Messi vs. Ronaldo continues Despite the ongoing debate among fans and in the media about who is the better soccer player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, it is the former that led the way in terms of total earnings in 2024/25. As well as winning an incredible amount of trophies, Ronaldo is winning off the pitch, too, thanks to a lucrative sponsorship deal with Nike, and endorsements with DAZN, Electronic Arts, and Tag Heuer. Meanwhile, seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi had a relatively equal share of on- and -off field earnings, which totaled 135 million U.S. dollars. Where are all the women? One notable absence in the list of highest paid athletes is any female athletes. In fact, the highest paid female athletes took home a fraction of the earnings of their male counterparts. Tennis star Coco Gauff topped the list of sportswomen, having taken home almost seven million U.S. dollars in prize money and a further 15 million U.S. dollars in endorsements in 2023. Gauff consistently ranked in the top 10 of the WTA's ranking of female tennis players worldwide, and her endorsements include companies such as New Balance, Bose, and Rolex.

American professional sports leagues are known for paying their players handsomely, and Major League Baseball is no different. The highest earner in the MLB in 2025 was the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani. The four-time All-Star took home a base salary of 70 million U.S. dollars in the 2025 season. MLB salaries The MLB has both a minimum player salary and a competitive balance tax (also called Luxury Tax) in place to ensure the league remains competitive and that no single team can buy its way to victory. In 2025, the minimum player salary stood at over 750,000 U.S. dollars, a generous increase from the minimum salary of 300,000 U.S. dollars in 2003. However, because of the astronomical earnings of some of the star players in the league, the average player salary across the MLB was over five million U.S. dollars in 2025. If a team’s payroll exceeds a certain figure, they are forced to pay a luxury tax to discourage the largest teams from buying the best players in the league. In 2024, this payroll cap was 241 million U.S. dollars. MLB revenue on the up In 2024, MLB teams generated around 407 million U.S. dollars on average in revenue per team. Meanwhile, in the ranking of MLB teams by revenue, the Los Angeles Dodgers came in first, with over 750 million U.S. dollars in revenue in 2024. On the opposite end of the scale, the Athletics had a revenue of 257 million U.S. dollars.

The statistic ranks sports teams from all over the world by the average pay per player in the 2018/19 season. The FC Barcelona of the NBA had the highest average player salary with players making an average of 12.28 million U.S. dollars in 2018/19.

Context

• The National Basketball Association (NBA) is an American men's professional basketball league.
• It is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.
• It is the premier men's professional basketball league in the world.
• The league was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA).
• It changed its name to the National Basketball Association on August 3, 1949, after merging with the competing National Basketball League (NBL).
• The NBA's regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games.

• The league's playoff tournament extends into June. As of 2020, NBA players are the world's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player.

• The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB), which is recognized by the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States.

• The league's several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices in Midtown Manhattan, while its NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus, New Jersey.

The NBA is the third wealthiest professional sport league after the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) by revenue.

Content

1. GM, GP; GS: games played; games started 2.PTS: points 3.FGM, FGA, FG%: field goals made, attempted and percentage 4.FTM, FTA, FT%: free throws made, attempted and percentage 5.3FGM, 3FGA, 3FG%: three-point field goals made, attempted and percentage 6.REB, OREB, DREB: rebounds, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds 7.AST: assists 8.STL: steals 9.BLK: blocks 10.TO: turnovers 11.EFF: efficiency: NBA's efficiency rating: (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK − ((FGA − FGM) + (FTA − FTM) + TO)) 12.PF: personal fouls 13.MIN: minutes 14.AST/TO: assist to turnover ratio 15.PER: Player Efficiency Rating: John Hollinger's Player Efficiency Rating 16.PIR: Performance Index Rating: Euro league's and Euro cup's Performance Index Rating: (Points + Rebounds + Assists + 17.Steals + Blocks + Fouls Drawn) − (Missed Field Goals + Missed Free Throws + Turnovers + Shots Rejected + Fouls Committed)

Inspiration

This is one of the most common questions of everyone's life that how are these basketball players such rich and how are they getting paid, and even the stats about how everything is done on a team.

In 2018, Antoine Griezmann, football player for Atletico Madrid, was the highest paid French sportsmen with an annual salary which amounted to 33 million euros. Born in Mâcon, Antoine Griezmann won the 2017 Europa League with its club and the 2018 FIFA World Cup with the France national football team. That same year he was considered as one of the most valuable French football players with a market value of 100 million euros.

Basketball players vs Football players

In 2018, the top three best-paid French sportsmen were all football players. Antoine Griezmann was followed by Kylian Mbappé and Paul Pogba, respectively playing in 2018 for Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United. Mbappé, who had an estimated transfer value of 186.5 million euros as of June 2018, earned more than 24 million euros compared to 22.1 million euros for Paul Pogba. But this ranking also shows that French basketball players in the NBA were some of the highest-paid French athletes. Nicolas Batum, currently playing for the Charlotte Hornets, earned more than 20.9 million euros in 2018.

European football on top of the world of sports

Despite the impressive revenue of the NBA, the European football leagues keep having one of the highest revenue in the sports industry. With a revenue of more than 16 billion euros for the season 2018/2019, the “Big Five” of European football remain the financially most successful and probably the most popular sport clubs worldwide. Footballers playing in the big clubs of European football leagues are part of the world’s highest-paid sports teams and players like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo are some of the most valuable athletes in the world.

The NFL is one of the most widely televised sporting leagues in the world. The average television viewership of a regular season NFL game in 2024 was calculated to be 17.5 million. Attendance In addition to this record-breaking TV viewership, the NFL attracts thousands of fans to the stadiums each week to see their favorite teams in action. The NFL has consistently been the major American sports league with the highest average attendance, with an average of almost 70 thousand people attending each game in the 2023 season. Moreover, during the 2024 regular season, the average total home attendance per team across the entire NFL was calculated to be 588,088. The franchise with the highest total attendance for its eight regular-season home games was the Dallas Cowboys, perhaps in part to their comparatively reasonably priced tickets, costing nearly 117 U.S. dollars on average, just less than the average ticket price across the NFL at 120 U.S. dollars per ticket. Best players Since 1957, the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award has been given to the NFL player considered to have been the most outstanding during the season. Since the award's introduction, Peyton Manning has received the award the greatest number of times during his career, closely followed by Aaron Rodgers, who has received the award on four occasions. One other potential indicator of the success of an NFL player is their annual salary. The highest-paid NFL player in 2024 was Dak Prescott, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, who earned 86.3 million U.S. dollars from salary and bonuses and 14 million U.S. dollars from endorsement deals during the 2024 season.

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is an American men's professional basketball league. It is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. It is widely considered to be the premier men's professional basketball league in the world.

The league was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). It changed its name to the National Basketball Association on August 3, 1949, after merging with the competing National Basketball League (NBL). The NBA's regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. The league's playoff tournament extends into June. As of 2015, NBA players are the world's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player.

Data is being taken from https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-nba-predictions/

This dataset merges player per-game and advanced statistics for the NBA's 2022-23 season with player salary data, creating a comprehensive resource for understanding the performance and financial aspects of professional basketball players. The dataset is the result of web scraping player salary information from Hoopshype, and downloading traditional per-game and advanced statistics from Basketball Reference.

Key Features:

• Player Information: Player name, team(s) played for during the season.
• Per Game Statistics: A wide array of per-game statistics, including points scored (PPG), assists (APG), rebounds (RPG), steals (SPG), blocks (BPG), and more.
• Shooting Efficiency: Metrics like field goal percentage (FG%), three-point percentage (3P%), two-point percentage (2P%), and free throw percentage (FT%) for assessing scoring efficiency.
• Advanced Statistics: A wide array of advanced metrics such as value over replacement player (VORP), win shares (WS) and true shooting percentage (TS%)
• Salaries: The financial aspect of the dataset includes player salaries for the 2022-23 season, offering insights into player earning

Potential Uses:

• Player Performance Analysis: Analysts can evaluate player performance in correlation with their earnings, identifying players who provide strong value for their salaries.
• Team Budgeting and Strategy: Teams can use this dataset to assess the financial implications of player acquisitions, trades, and salary cap management.
• Player Earnings Insights: The dataset offers insights into the income distribution of NBA players, helping fans and analysts understand the financial side of professional basketball.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Data scientists can leverage this combined dataset for predictive modeling and machine learning applications, including salary predictions and player valuation.

Acknowledgements: Basketball Reference, Hoopshype

United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations: 16 years and over: Men was 1516.00000 $ in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations: 16 years and over: Men reached a record high of 1516.00000 in January of 2024 and a record low of 773.00000 in January of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations: 16 years and over: Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

As one of the biggest sports leagues in the United States, with TV viewers reaching into the millions, Major League Baseball can afford to pay its players handsomely. The average salary for a player in the MLB stood at 5.16 million U.S. dollars in 2025. This marked a twofold increase on the average salary in 2005. Highs and lows of MLB salaries While the stars of every MLB team take home millions every year, there is still a minimum player salary in place to ensure that all players are compensated for their efforts. The 2025 MLB minimum player salary was set at 760,000 U.S. dollars, a significant increase on the minimum of 300,000 U.S. dollars in 2003. The league’s top earners The highest earner in the MLB in 2025 was the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani. The three-time All-Star took home an annual base salary of 70 million U.S. dollars in the 2025 season. Due to their prominent role on the team, it is unsurprising that a majority of the top earners in the MLB were pitchers.  

Sports Memorabilia Collectibles Market Outlook

The global sports memorabilia collectibles market size was valued at approximately USD 5.4 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach around USD 9.8 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% during the forecast period. This market is experiencing substantial growth due to increasing interest in sports, rising disposable income, and the growing popularity of online platforms for auctions and sales.

One of the major growth factors driving the sports memorabilia collectibles market is the increasing fan engagement across various sports. With the proliferation of social media and digital platforms, fans are more connected than ever to their favorite athletes and teams. This increased engagement translates into a deeper emotional connection and a willingness to invest in memorabilia that reflects their passion. Additionally, the rising number of sports events, including global tournaments and leagues, has heightened interest and demand for collectibles related to these events.

Another significant factor contributing to market growth is the rising disposable income and economic stability in many parts of the world. As people have more disposable income, they are more inclined to spend on luxury items and hobbies, including sports memorabilia. This trend is particularly pronounced in emerging economies where the middle class is expanding, and people are looking for unique ways to invest their money. Collecting sports memorabilia offers not only emotional satisfaction but also potential financial returns, making it an attractive option for many.

The advancement of online platforms and e-commerce has revolutionized the sports memorabilia market. Online stores and auction houses have made it easier for collectors to find and purchase items from anywhere in the world. This accessibility has broadened the market, allowing sellers to reach a global audience and buyers to find rare and unique items that were previously difficult to obtain. Online platforms also provide transparency and authentication services, which are crucial in a market where the authenticity of items is paramount.

Regionally, North America dominates the sports memorabilia collectibles market, accounting for a significant share due to the deep-rooted sports culture in the United States and Canada. Europe follows closely, driven by the popularity of soccer and other regional sports. The Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period, supported by increasing sports viewership and the rising popularity of Western sports. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa also show promising growth potential, although they currently hold a smaller market share.

Product Type Analysis

The sports memorabilia collectibles market is segmented by product type into autographed items, game-used items, trading cards, photographs, and others. Autographed items, such as jerseys, balls, and posters signed by athletes, are highly sought after due to their unique and personalized nature. The demand for autographed items is driven by their perceived value and the emotional connection they provide to fans. Collectors often seek autographs from their favorite players or iconic moments in sports history, making these items valuable both sentimentally and financially.

Game-used items, including equipment and apparel used by athletes during actual games, represent another significant segment. These items are prized because they offer a tangible connection to specific events and athletes. Game-used items are often limited in availability, which drives up their value and desirability among collectors. The market for game-used items is particularly strong for sports with a large following and a rich history, such as baseball and football.

Trading cards have a long-standing tradition in the sports memorabilia market and continue to be popular among collectors. The resurgence of trading card popularity is attributed to advancements in card design, the introduction of limited editions, and the nostalgia factor among older collectors. Trading cards are also accessible entry points for new collectors due to their relatively lower price points compared to other memorabilia.

Photographs signed by athletes or capturing iconic sports moments a

Russia Paid Services Rendered to Population: Sports data was reported at 78,465,688.700 RUB th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 70,274,213.500 RUB th for 2016. Russia Paid Services Rendered to Population: Sports data is updated yearly, averaging 14,861,590.000 RUB th from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2017, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 78,465,688.700 RUB th in 2017 and a record low of 9,869.000 RUB th in 1993. Russia Paid Services Rendered to Population: Sports data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HG002: Paid Services Rendered to Population: Annual.

Russia Paid Services Rendered to Population: per Capita: Sports data was reported at 479.100 RUB in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 424.900 RUB for 2015. Russia Paid Services Rendered to Population: per Capita: Sports data is updated yearly, averaging 83.000 RUB from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2016, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 479.100 RUB in 2016 and a record low of 0.100 RUB in 1993. Russia Paid Services Rendered to Population: per Capita: Sports data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HG002: Paid Services Rendered to Population: Annual.

Turkish National Team Financial and Performance Data (2018-2024)

This dataset provides comprehensive financial and performance data for the Turkish National Football Team from 2018 to 2024. It covers various aspects of the team’s annual operations, including revenue sources, expenses, and match outcomes. This dataset is ideal for exploratory data analysis (EDA), data visualization, and machine learning projects focused on sports analytics, financial trends, and performance metrics.

Dataset Content The dataset includes the following key features:

Year: The year in which data was recorded (2018-2024). Fixture: Type of match, including "Friendly", "Qualifying", and "Tournament" games. Match Result: Outcome of the match, represented as "Win", "Lose", or "Draw". Goals: Total goals scored by the team in each match. Transport Cost (Euro): Expenses related to travel and logistics. Office Expenses (Euro): Administrative costs associated with managing the team. Ticket Revenue (Euro): Income generated from ticket sales for matches. Sponsor Revenue (Euro): Revenue from team sponsors. Attendance: Average number of spectators per match. Total Salary Expense (Euro): Annual total salary costs for players. Total Bonus Expense (Euro): Annual bonus expenses for players. Merchandise Revenue (Euro): Revenue from team merchandise sales. Advertising Revenue (Euro): Revenue generated from advertising, including match-day ads and sponsorships. Medical Expenses (Euro): Costs associated with player health and medical care. Key Features Null Values: Includes some null values to simulate real-world data, encouraging users to clean and preprocess data for analysis. Outliers and Variations: Financial and performance data may exhibit variations and outliers, reflecting realistic fluctuations in team revenues and expenses. Mixed Data Types: Data types include integers, floats, and categories, providing opportunities for various data processing and feature engineering techniques. Usage Examples This dataset can be used in a variety of projects:

Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA): Gain insights into the Turkish National Team's financial structure, performance patterns, and trends. Data Visualization: Create compelling visualizations using tools like Tableau and Power BI to showcase trends and insights. Machine Learning: Train models for predictive analytics, such as predicting match outcomes based on historical financial data or estimating future revenue growth. This dataset provides a realistic and multi-faceted view of the Turkish National Team's financial and operational metrics, making it a valuable resource for sports analysts, data scientists, and financial analysts interested in the sports industry. Enjoy exploring the data and uncovering insights about one of Turkey's most beloved national teams!