Michael Jordan continues to dominate sports, long into his retirement.
Forbes Magazine’s Kurt Badenhausen on Wednesday published a definitive list of the highest-earning retired athletes in 2015, and Jordan heads the list by a large margin.
Badenhausen estimates Jordan earned $110 million last year, with much of his income stemming from sales of Nike’s “Jordan” brand athletic apparel.
David Beckham, the former English soccer star, is second on the list, taking in an estimated $65 million in 2015. Sources of Beckham’s income include British fashion brand Kent & Curwen and relationships with Chinese real estate firm Luneng.
Golf legend Arnold Palmer sits third among highly paid retired athletes, earning around $40 million last year. Palmer’s name adorns over 500 stores in Asia, and his signature drink generates around 25 percent of AriZona Beverage Co.’s revenue.
Others on the list include Jack Nicklaus and ex-NBA superstars Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal.
But Jordan, 53, is the cash king among former players, and we shouldn’t expect that change this year or any time soon.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Spurlock/USA TODAY Sports Images
