The gap is closing on Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams despite the pair remaining top of the list of the highest-paid female sports stars.
In fact, for the first time, eight women earned over £8.2 million in 2022, including British teenager Emma Raducanu. Tennis duly dominates the standings, with seven of the top 10 involved in the sport.
Osaka, 25 was hampered by injuries and poor form this year, and lost a huge sponsorship deal when FTX declared bankruptcy in November. But her off-court endorsements remain significant, and according to Forbes made £912,000 from tennis and a huge £41.4 million in other ventures.
The iconic Williams seemingly retired from the sport following the US Open in September, and made just £248,000 from actually playing. She remains one of the most marketable athletes on the planet, though, with the 41-year-old raking in £33.8 million elsewhere
But the six sportswoman immediately behind them on the top 10 list have also exceeded £8.2 million in earnings this year, the first time that many have hit that milestone since Forbes introduced the ranking in 2008. And 2021 US Open champion Raducanu is among them, lying fourth on £15 million, again with the vast majority of that income coming from sponsorship and endorsements.
Raducanu lies fourth, behind skier Eileen Gu, who made just under £17 million. Another tennis player in Iga Swiatek comes in fifth on £12 million, with Venus Williams (£9.6 million), Coco Gauff (£9 million), and Simone Biles (£8.2 million) following.
Jessica Pegula (£6.3 million) and golf player Minjee Lee (£6 million) make up the top 10. And Cameron Wagner, chief client officer of Elevate Sports Ventures’, things the figures represent the global growth of female sport.
“I think everybody’s seeing a tremendous amount of momentum with women’s sports and women’s sports sponsorships,” he said. “We’ve made a ton of progress. We have a ton of progress left to be made, but brands are starting to see the value in women’s sports here and today as a driver of their business.”
The figures are still overshadowed by those of their male counterparts, though. Lionel Messi tops the overall list on a staggering £107.2 million, ahead of Lebron James on £100 million.
