World number three Roger Federer has been named the most powerful athlete in the world by Forbes Magazine by virtue of his multitude number of sponsors, media visibility and widespread appeal. Overall, in the annual Celebrity 100 list, Federer ranked eight with Oprah Winfrey topping the list.
Here’s Forbes reason for selecting Federer:
Federer has the most impressive endorsement portfolio in sports, with ten sponsors that collectively pay him more than $40 million annually, including long-term deals with Nike, Rolex, Wilson and Credit Suisse. The newest addition is champagne brand Moet & Chandon, which signed Federer to a five-year deal at the end of 2012. Federer’s income surged after a barnstorming exhibition tour of South America that netted him $14 million for six matches. Federer is widely perceived as the greatest tennis player ever. He holds the records for most singles Grand Slam wins (17) and career prize money ($77 million). He appeared in a staggering 18 out of 19 Grand Slam finals between 2005 and 2010.
Here’s the rest of the Top Ten powerful athletes
[2] Tiger Woods
[3] LeBron James
[4] David Beckham
[5] Kobe Bryant
[6] Cristiano Ronaldo
[7] Lionel Messi
[8] Usain Bolt
[9] Drew Brees
[10] Rafael Nadal
