Australia’s most publicized sports are consistently under-represented on the list of our top earning athletes, with not a single NRL star in the top 50 and only one Australian in the top five making big money on a national level.
So who are our top five earners?
1. Andrew Bogut (basketball)
He may not be a household name to all you rugby fans, but the 28-year old Aussie baller is cashing in big time; Bogut earned a whopping $13.5 million last year in the NBA with his team the Golden State Warriors.
The 7-foot centre was the first Aussie player to be drafted as number one pick in the 2005 NBA Draft and has been a knight in shining armour for Australian basketball ever since.
I’m certain the coach that dropped him from the Victoria Junior State representative side is scratching his head, as Bogut remains a strong competitor in the NBA, a league considered fantasy for Australian players.
Bogut has had an injury-riddled year but is prepared to anchor the Warriors defence in the 2013-14 NBA season.
2. Mark Webber (motorsports)
Maybe more Australians should try their hand at the wheel. Mark Webber, the Australian Formula One driver, gathered up a more than respectable $12 million dollars last year.
Despite his many endorsements, this smooth operator has 32 podiums, 11 pole positions and nine wins under his seatbelt, making him the fifth best on the F1 circuit.
Webber is retiring from Formula One racing after the 2013 season to join Porsche on a long term deal to race LMP1 sports cars in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
3. Adam Scott (golf)
Our beloved Adam Scott in 2012 collected 10.5 million with the swing of his club, making him third on the list.
Scott has won 21 tournaments around the globe, including his overwhelming 2013 Masters Tournament Championship victory over Angel Cabrera.
The Aussie wrote himself into the history books this year making him the first Australian golfer to boast the green jacket and no doubt his pockets will be bulging with cash again next year.
Scott is currently struggling to defend his Bridgestone International title, as Tiger Woods runs away with the lead leaving Scott and Swede Henrik Stenson battling for the second place prize.
4. Casey Stoner (motorsports)
Casey Stoner is set to jump back on the bike for a much-anticipated return to the sport after quitting the MotoGP in 2012.
Despite his recent wobbles, the New South Welshman coined an impressive $8 million last year, which is a credit to his successful career.
Much like Webber, the two time MotoGP World Champion made the move to the United Kingdom to pave his own road to glory and has been a driving force in the sport ever since.
The champion is kick starting his comeback with a two-day test in Japan and has booked more sessions on the bike in August to promote Honda’s 2014 model.
5. Michael Clarke (cricket)
The much-maligned Australian captain has been a talking point of this year’s Ashes Series and I’m sure many are starting to question his lofty salary.
But then again, Clarke holds the second most important position in the country – behind the Prime Minister – and he definitely deserves at least a century more than what Mickey Arthur was asking for as compensation for his sacking.
‘Pup’ earned $5.5 million last year and although he is under the watchful eye of every Australian, he is letting his bat do the talking, scoring 187 runs in the first innings of the third 2013 Ashes Test.
Do you think the top five are worth their pay cheque? Or are there others that are more deserving?
Odie
Guest
Was surprised that Lleyton Hewitt was not on the list above, I understand he is not the player he once was but still a former number one. James Magnussen? I thought he would be up there to?
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
"Apart from Schwarzer at Chelsea do we have any Aus Soccer players in the top 20 clubs in the world? No." Langerak at Dortmund and arguably Brad Jones at Liverpool (though they'd only be in the top 20 on basis of reputation as opposed to performance). Still, your point is valid.
clipper
Guest
Yes, you have made a miscalculation - it is 105,000 per week
Franko
Guest
Unless I have made a miscalculation, this article has some serious faults. Michael Clarkes $5.5m salary divided by 52 gives him roughly 10,500 per week. This equates to £6,000 per week. I'd be staggered if Mark Schwartzer was on less than this. Given that Patty Mills played 50+ games for San Antonio (almost champs) last year, I'd be pretty surprised if he didnt earn more also
Max Power
Guest
Pretty sure that Parko would be ahead of both Taj and Mick last year though considering he won the world title and all. Agree though the scope for sponsorship is far greater in surfing that rugby
Max Power
Guest
Sakio Bika just won a world title and Daniel Geale currently holds one.
Greg
Guest
India is in asia, I am fairly sure Clarke would be quite big over there, sooooo al your points are invalid I guess, bad luck mate.
mushi
Guest
I would have thought a better question is "where are the big money boxing matches!"
mushi
Guest
remember also that these lists are about as accurate as James O'conner's kicking
mushi
Guest
You know that the earth isn't flat right? Motorsports, and I hate motor sports, in some fashion or another probably exist anywhere people own cars. the only way you can think motorsport's appeal is limited to wealthy nations is if you only wealthy countries have motorised transport.
Charlie Drayton
Roar Guru
We have none!
Jason
Guest
Motorsports and Golf are no where near global sports. Just the infrastructure required to build decent tracks and courses preclude many countries (other than wealthy ones) to compete and enjoy the sport. Soccer on the other hand is probably the only true global sport in the sense that it covers the 4 corners of the Earth in its popularity.
Billie Joel
Guest
those cricketers are way overpaid where are the boxers?
Steve J
Roar Guru
Rugby players don't really have much of an exposure in the US or Brazil. Whereas surfers have the whole extreme sports factor and lifestyle factors to support their popularity. Taj Burrow is a freakish athlete too.
Archie King
Guest
bingle will be nutting
Henry. D
Guest
Mick Fanning, Taj Burrow and Joel Parkinson all get paid more than any rugby player in Australia, this is quite amazing seeing how popular Rugby is in Australia and how many more Rugby players to surfers there are. Surfers in Australia don't get nearly as much publicity as Rugby players do.
Slane
Guest
Joking?
Australian Rules
Guest
Agreed SFM, what an odd comment to make. Claiming there "should be more soccer players in the top 5"...based on Tigranes' view that they work "harder" than other athletes; and that soccer happens to be his preferred sport. Weird.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Tigranes - If there are no Aus Soccer players in the top 5 it simply means from a global perspective we do not currently have any players that are deemed good enough to attract that sort of money. Secondly we also clearly do not have any players that are marketable at the moment that sponsors are willing to throw big money at to promote their product otherwise there would be players in the top 5. Apart from Schwarzer at Chelsea do we have any Aus Soccer players in the top 20 clubs in the world? No. Even Schwarzer is second fiddle at Chelsea. Do you any evidence that Joel Griffiths or Archie Thompson are well known in Japan or China? If they were as well known as you are suggesting then I would imagine they would have some type of endorsement deal in either or both of those countries with sponsors keen to cash in on their popularity and status?? No one would suggest that soccer players do not work hard - they obviously do but if you are going to put a clearly biased line of "there should be more soccer players in the top 5" without any reasoning behind it then expect people to call you out on it.
Steve
Guest
Yeah I'm sure Michael Clarke is unknown in Asia, only small nations such as Pakistan, India and Bsngladesh. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.