Sporticast 403

In the recent episode of Sporticast, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams engage in a conversation with Kurt Badenhausen regarding his latest rankings of the 15 highest-earning female athletes worldwide.

Leading the rankings is tennis prodigy Coco Gauff with $30.4 million, followed by Olympic skier Eileen Gu at $22.1 million and tennis player Iga Swiatek at $21.4 million. WNBA standout Caitlin Clark ranks 10th at $11.1 million. The top 10 includes five sports: tennis, skiing, golf, gymnastics, and basketball.

The hosts delve into the broader trends impacting women’s sports. Increasing salaries and prize funds, especially in individual sports like tennis and golf, are generating more marketing possibilities for a wider array of female athletes. Gauff’s 2024 earnings are comparable to what Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova commanded around a decade ago at the peak of their careers, yet the figures for those outside the top three or five rankings have seen marked increases.

They also highlight several individual athletes. Gauff’s increasing wins predominantly stem from one major event: the WTA Finals. Gu, while earning little from her skiing, secures more from endorsements than any other female athlete globally.

One more exceptional athlete is Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen, who achieved $20.6 million in 2024, a figure expected to surge considerably in 2025. Her Olympic gold medal and ongoing success are likely to unlock significant endorsement opportunities in the world’s second-largest population.

They conclude with an in-depth discussion about Clark. The WNBA rookie sensation earned merely $76,000 in salary last year – and missed out on substantial additional earnings from the WNBA that would have significantly enhanced her income. Nonetheless, she managed to earn over $11 million off the court, a sum expected to increase in the forthcoming years.

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