Marlboro Ducati’s Valentino Rossi may not be having the best year on the racetrack, but the Italian still does pretty well when he goes to the bank to make deposits.
Forbes magazine has released its top-paid athletes list for the past 12 months and Rossi is ranked at number 20, the Marlboro Ducati rider earning $30 million dollars a year.
Of the $30 million, $17 million is his annual salary from Ducat with the other $13 million coming from endorsements – leathers, helmets, energy drink sponsor, etc.
The top ranked athlete in the world for the past year is the aptly named Floyd “Money” Mayweather. The boxer earned $85 million in 2012.
The man Mayweather has still yet to fight is ranked second – Manny Pacquiao, The Filipino boxer/politician pulled in $62 million.
The first non-boxer on the list is golfer Tiger Woods. Woods earned $59.4 million – $55 million of which came from endorsements. This year’s list marks the first time since 2001 that Woods has not been on top as the highest-paid athlete.
