Reaching the billionaire mark is not everyone’s cup of tea. Despite earning just $95 million in the 15 seasons he played in the NBA, Michael Jordan became a billionaire in 2014, and ever since his net worth has only risen. The Chicago Bulls icon was the first ever athlete to make it to the list of America’s 400 wealthiest people. What’s to be noted here is that there are a few more NBA icons who have also reached the billionaire mark. But in the golfing world, Tiger Woods is the only athlete to ever reach this historic feat.
There is a reason why people believe Woods revolutionized the game of golf. With 15 major titles and 82 PGA wins to his name, Woods officially entered the billionaire’s list in 2022. Although Jordan became a billionaire nearly a decade ago, let’s see if he is still richer than his former friend in 2024.
Jordan’s historic sneaker deal with Nike not only made him a worldwide sensation but also helped him climb the ladder in the Forbes list. He became a billionaire in 2014, but it took him nearly 9 years after that to make it to the Forbes 400. One of the main reasons was the impressive performance of Air Jordans in the global market. However, MJ couldn’t have done it without selling his ownership stake with the Charlotte Hornets.
Jordan became the majority owner of the Hornets in 2010. After 13 years of continuous underwhelming performance by the front office, he decided to sell his majority ownership, which helped him enter the Forbes 400. The 6x champion had a net worth of $275 million in 2010. After the Hornets sale last year, he reached the $3 billion mark, to stay at the top. Do you think Tiger Woods has a net worth of more than $3 billion? Let’s see.
What are the common things that helped MJ and Tiger Woods reach the billionaire mark?
The 48-year-old golfing legend just made it to the billionaire’s list in 2022. So it would be quite impossible to reach the $3 billion mark in just two years. Anyhow, he has a notable net worth of $1.1 billion, which makes him the only active athlete to become a billionaire, after LeBron James. There are a few things in common that helped Jordan and Woods earn a lot in a short span. Woods had a Nike deal too, which he signed when he was 20 years old, right after he turned into a pro. As per reports, Woods signed a $40 million, 5-year deal, which was the richest endorsement deal for a professional athlete back in the 90s.
However, Woods’s collaboration with Nike came to an end after 27 years in January 2024. Former Nike CEO Phil Knight was the deal breaker for both Jordan and Woods, who helped them earn consistently over the years. According to Fortune, Nike helped Woods earn around $660 million in the last two decades. So, the impact that Nike had on the above two legends is evident.
MJ is at $3 billion, and Woods is at $1.1 billion. Though the Chicago Bulls icon is richer currently, he did not make it to the billionaire’s list when he was 48. He made it only when he was 52 years old. However, it’s safe to say that Woods is on the same track as Jordan. Don’t be surprised if the golfing icon surpasses his Airness in a few years!
