Michael Jordan, David Beckham Top Forbes' List of Highest-Paid Retired Athletes
NBA legend Michael Jordan reportedly earned $110 million in 2015, which made him the highest-paid retired athlete in the world.
Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes passed along the figures Wednesday and reported the latest income figures bring Jordan's net worth to an estimated $1.1 billion. Former soccer player David Beckham finished second on the 2015 list at $65 million, while longtime golfer Arnold Palmer was third at $40 million.
Here's a look at the top 10 retired athletes on the Forbes list:
| 1 | Michael Jordan | Basketball | $110 million |
| 2 | David Beckham | Soccer | $65 million |
| 3 | Arnold Palmer | Golf | $40 million |
| 4 | Junior Bridgeman | Basketball | $32 million |
| 5 | Jerry Richardson | Football | $30 million |
| 6 | Jack Nicklaus | Golf | $26 million |
| 7 | Shaquille O’Neal | Basketball | $22 million |
| 8 | Roger Penske | Car Racing | $20 million |
| 9 | Gary Player | Golf | $19 million |
| 10 | Magic Johnson | Basketball | $18 million |
The fact Jordan leads the pack doesn't come as a surprise. His Jordan Brand with Nike has become a powerhouse with annual sales estimated at $2.5 billion and a market share of 58 percent, as reported by Jessica Golden of CNBC, citing figures from SportsOneSource, in late 2014.
That said, beating the combined total of the next two athletes on the list helps illustrate the immense power he still has in the market place. Forbes noted he also continues to work with other companies, including Hanes and Gatorade.
Jordan has gone great lengths to maintain a strong hold on his image too. Kim Janssen of the Chicago Tribune reported last August that the former Chicago Bulls superstar was awarded $8.9 million in a case against a defunct supermarket chain for using his identity without permission.
"It is my name, and I've worked hard for it for 30-something years, and I'm not just going to let someone take it," Jordan said. "It's not the type of court I like to win at. But unfortunately we ended up in this court, and I'm very happy with the result."
Like MJ, Beckham is still highly successful because of his global reach despite his retirement from the pitch in 2013. The former Manchester United and England international midfielder added lucrative deals from his native Britain as well as China, according to Forbes.
The same holds true for Palmer, who's associated with more than 500 branded stores throughout Asia, per Forbes. Unfortunately, the 86-year-old won't hit a ceremonial tee shot at the Masters Tournament next week because of a nagging shoulder injury, but his global brand remains strong.
All told, the continued massive income of Jordan, Beckham and Palmer shows athletes can still enjoy financial success even when they aren't getting checks based on their athletic performance. But the key is using the time in the spotlight to establish a brand around the world, not just in one's home country.
It's hard to imagine anybody will be able to push Jordan off the mountaintop in this category for the foreseeable future, though.
