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Who’re probably the most influential Nike-sponsored athletes?
The Fame of being a sports activities star positive has its perks.
It allows athletes to shut million-dollar offers to assist promote the merchandise of billion-dollar companies like Nike.
This text appears to be like on the most well-known athletes sponsored by Nike and their varied offers with the sports activities big.
The Most Influential Nike-Sponsored Athletes Proper Now
10. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Sport: Basketball
The 2019 and 2020 NBA MVP has positive seen an astronomical rise in fortunes since his rise within the NBA.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s renewed Nike contract noticed him earn an annual fee of $9 million.
It is a large enhance, particularly when you think about the truth that his earlier deal was a paltry $20,000 each year.
The Greek Freak’s freak T-shirt was the fastest-selling attire on Nike’s official on-line retailer Nike.com.
Nike has since launched his first signature footwear which have been doing fairly effectively, particularly when you think about the competitors from the likes of Curry and James.
9. Russell Wilson
Sport: American Soccer
Russell Wilson is a quarterback and an XLVIII Tremendous Bowl Champion for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.
With a mixed following of 12 million individuals throughout all three main social media platforms, Russell is among the most influential athletes within the NFL.
Other than his $140 million four-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks, he has an analogous contract with Nike that has seen him earn about $35 million yearly since 2016.
No marvel he wears that Nike Swoosh, which has change into synonymous along with his Jersey for the Seattle Seahawks.
His merchandise gross sales are nonetheless among the finest in your entire NFL, and his start-up firm Hint Me was additionally purchased by Nike.
8. Chris Paul
Sport: Basketball
Chris Paul has been among the finest level guards within the NBA for greater than a decade.
It was no shock that Nike got here calling with a contract method again in 2006.
Beneath the Jordan subsidiary, his line of sneakers, the Jordan CP3, has been very profitable and presently on its twelfth iteration.
Regardless of having to compete with signature sneakers like Kevin Durant and LeBron James, the Jordan CP3 fashions have been fairly profitable.
Plus, having a mixed following of over 22 million on social media has additionally helped.
7. Carmelo Anthony
Sport: Basketball
Carmelo Anthony Is the primary athlete to signal below the Nike Jordan model.
One among three promising prospects signed when the Nike model was at a really low level and was dominated by the German model Adidas.
By the next yr, he was the face of the Nike Jordan model and started his designs known as the Jordan Melo line of sneakers.
The Melo M sequence being discontinued for some cause after the thirteenth mannequin was launched in 2017.
6. Russell Westbrook
Sport: Basketball
Russell Westbrook is little doubt one of many largest superstars within the NBA.
The 2017 MVP signed a ten-year bumper contract extension with Nike’s Jordan model that makes him the face of the billion-dollar subsidiary until the 2024-2025 season.
He additionally will get to start out his shoe line each on and off-court.
Coupled along with his large contract with the Washington Wizards, Russell Westbrook is among the highest-paid NBA gamers.
With a mixed 25.3 million followers on the foremost social media platforms, Westbrook is among the most influential Nike-sponsored athletes.
5. Tiger Woods
Sport: Golf
With just a bit over 11 million followers on social media, Tiger Woods doesn’t look like he deserves a spot on this checklist.
However that couldn’t be farther from the reality.
In 2019 when Woods sank the final putt to win his fifth Masters Match, a number of Nike’s on-line shops offered out a number of Tiger Woods branded merchandise.
Nike pocketed 22.5 million {dollars} in gross sales that very day.
Nike has been Woods’s chief sponsor since 1996, which was the identical yr Woods turned professional.
In his first yr in skilled {golfing}, Woods signed his first contract with Nike’s Golf model for $40 million.
He has signed a number of extra since that point; even when a number of issues hampered Woods’ profession for over ten years, Nike caught with him.
Their 24-year relationship has been mutually useful for each events, which is why he takes the sixth spot on our checklist of well-known Nike-sponsored athletes.
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4. Rafael Nadal
Sport: Tennis
The one tennis participant on this checklist, Nadal alongside Federer, holds the joint report for probably the most Grand Slam Singles on the planet.
Rafael Nadal has already achieved legendary standing on the planet of tennis.
Because the Spaniard’s profession started twenty years in the past, Nike has been considered one of his largest sponsors.
His final contract with Nike noticed him earn an annual sum of $10 million to show Nike’s Swoosh on the tennis court docket.
He has since renewed his contract with Nike, however little or no is understood about his current contract.
3. Kevin Durant
Sport: Basketball
One of many largest Superstars within the NBA, Kevin Durant, has additionally change into one of many hottest gamers in business worth.
Durant has been a Nike devoted all through his profession.
He even turned down a $70 million take care of Adidas for a $60 million take care of Nike again in 2007.
His company Roc Nation was in a position to get him an much more profitable contract with Nike that earned him his personal signature line of sneakers and attire with the KD model on it.
His social media following can also be one of many largest within the NBA, with a bit below 40 million.
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2. LeBron James
Sport: Basketball
At present, the Megastar of the NBA, LeBron James, is probably the most well-known and probably the most influential participant now within the NBA.
LeBron first signed his first contract with Nike in 2003, proper in his rookie season, and it has been an extended and profitable partnership all by way of.
His present take care of Nike was signed in 2015, a lifetime deal reportedly price over a billion {dollars}.
This implies their partnership will proceed effectively after the NBA king has retired, with LeBron presently receiving a $32 million paycheck yearly.
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1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Sport: World Soccer (Soccer)
CR7 is an athlete that wants no introduction.
The soccer megastar has confirmed to be a beast on and off the sphere.
He has the biggest Instagram following of over 270 million followers on the planet and is by far probably the most influential athlete Nike has on their books.
Like LeBron James, Ronaldo additionally has a lifetime contract with Nike price over a billion {dollars} signed in 2016.
Ronaldo has worn effectively over 68 cleats for Nike, along with his huge fan base producing as a lot as $474 million for Nike in 2018.
With Ronaldo being one of many world’s biggest influencers on social media, it’s secure to say that he generates far more income for Nike than every other athlete on this checklist.
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Last Phrases
There you may have it; the topmost influential Nike-sponsored athletes on the planet proper now.
These athletes aren’t simply superstars of their chosen sports activities; they’re additionally among the greatest marketable athletes and influencers on the planet proper now.
Their respective partnerships with Nike have been very profitable for each events.
