Sportico reports that Conor McGregor is the highest paid athlete in the world with earnings of $208 million a year in salary, winnings and endorsements.
The article notes that a large part of the earnings comes from the Proper No. Twelve sale to Proximo Spirits which gave the former double champion $170 million and pushed his total earnings to $208 million with his endorsements and UFC earnings.
McGregor has appeared in just one fight in the UFC in the last twelve months but his outside earnings overshadow his work in the ring. According to a report from the Irish Times, it is the fourth best-selling whiskey on the market. The company marketed around McGregor and has been a sponsor on multiple UFC and boxing events. Its presence was visible for some of McGregor’s biggest fights since the Whiskey brand was introduced.
Canelo Alvarez is the only boxer in the top 100 on the list of highest paid athletes and Sportico notes this is due in part to the pandemic which prevent superfights from happening as promoters shunned no capacity events for a time when crowds could return.
Payout Perspective:
McGregor topping the list shows the business acumen behind the bombastic fighter. It also shows the popularity of the Proper Twelve brand. At a time when a lot of athletes and celebrities have their own spirits, McGregor’s has been a success story. It is worthy to note that much of the earnings reported come from outside the UFC where its likely he’s paid the least out of all of his various paychecks.
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