Page 15 - OCEAN BLUE - SPRING 2018

+++MONEY ++ MONEY ++ MONEY+++

Soccer’s best is a tie between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the top two
players in the world. Ronaldo has earned $93 million from the sport, while
Messi comes in at $80 million. With American football, the big paychecks belong
to players like the Indianapolis Colts’ Andrew Luck, Derek Carr of the Oakland
Raiders and the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees. The highest paid NHL player
is Jonathan Toews.
Signing Bonus Negotiable
A signing bonus alone can range from $60,000 U.S. to several million dollars.
The payoffs are pricy too, as evidenced by Bobby Bonilla’s New York Mets deal
that earns him $1,193,248.20 U.S. every July 1, from 2011 through 2035. Bonilla
has not suited up since 2001. It’s complicated, but deferred payments are not
uncommon in this business and if you are a shrewd negotiator, you do not even
have to work for the future dollars.
The Dallas Cowboys Are #1
For the second year in a row, the most valuable professional sports team is the
Dallas Cowboys, with a market value that exceeds $4 billion U.S. Now, the team
has not won an NFL championship in more than 20 years, so you do the math.
What it does have in the plus column is a $1.2 billion U.S. home stadium, built
in 2009. The Cowboys sold the naming rights to AT&T in the neighborhood of
$600 million U.S. There’s also Jerry Jones, the front man worth an estimated $5.6
billion U.S. So, winning is not necessary a precursor to success or value for that
matter.
For the second year running, the New York Yankees are the only Major League
Baseball team featured in the top 10 most valuable. What are they worth? Around
$3.7 billion U.S. and they did move from the number four spot to the number
two spot, so maybe they deserved a raise. According to Forbes, the Yankees also
lead the sport in sponsorship revenue at $120 million U.S. and premium seating
revenue at $130 million U.S. The Yankees' overall market value increased nine
per cent from 2016.
Top Two Sports Leagues by Revenue
National Football League (NFL) U.S.A - American Football - Revenue: $13
billion U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) U.S.A/Canada - Baseball - Revenue:
$9.5 billion U.S.
All of this to say, you cannot put a price on an afternoon at the ballpark in your
favorite city, with a favorite person in tow. While behind the scenes, those putting
on the show are being showered with millions for our amusement. Not bad work
if you can get it.

Dieter Esch
Chairman

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