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Who do you think is the most popular athlete in the world? ...Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Yao Ming, Ronaldhino, David Beckham, LeBron James, or someone else?

Federer is super popular world-wide, too

 

Not like Tiger.

If you wanna go that route, I'm willing to bet Maria Sharapova is probably more "popular" albeit for different reasons... and she's an accomplished athlete

 

(this one's for Schnellders)

 

>_>

^Yeah, most sports fans have probably heard of Sharapova, even if they don't follow tennis.

 

But I have to say Tiger.

Messi over Ronaldinho, but yeah I'd agree tiger

I'm admittedly naive of this, but what's the Chinese impact on soccer, like, from a viewership/fandom standpoint... I know the biggest "powers" in soccer are predominantly American(south/central) and European...

 

I think a big factor in total popularity is having a grab on Chinese viewership, guys like Tiger, Federer and such get that...

If you wanna go that route, I'm willing to bet Maria Sharapova is probably more "popular" albeit for different reasons... and she's an accomplished athlete

 

(this one's for Schnellders)

 

>_>

 

I was going to bring that up too. Sharapova is probably more popular than Federer.

 

That said, I don't see how it's "[going] that route". I mentioned the most famous athlete as someone who is also the best athlete at his sport.

If you wanna go that route, I'm willing to bet Maria Sharapova is probably more "popular" albeit for different reasons... and she's an accomplished athlete

 

(this one's for Schnellders)

 

>_>

 

I was going to bring that up too. Sharapova is probably more popular than Federer.

 

That said, I don't see how it's "[going] that route". I mentioned the most famous athlete as someone who is also the best athlete at his sport.

 

"That route" was just popularity beyond the sport. A large portion of Tiger Woods's popularity comes from his endorsements; video games, his own gatorade, etc etc etc. This is largely the result of him being THE most dominant figure in his sport, but my point remains in popularity outside the sport.

 

I realize Im phrasing this poorly, so as an example: David Beckham is also famous for his pop culture status, which originally resulted from his soccer play, whereas, someone like Messi is more popular as "just" a soccer player... Same for like, the Maria Sharapovas, and Derek Jeters...

If you wanna go that route, I'm willing to bet Maria Sharapova is probably more "popular" albeit for different reasons... and she's an accomplished athlete

 

(this one's for Schnellders)

 

>_>

 

I was going to bring that up too. Sharapova is probably more popular than Federer.

 

That said, I don't see how it's "[going] that route". I mentioned the most famous athlete as someone who is also the best athlete at his sport.

 

"That route" was just popularity beyond the sport. A large portion of Tiger Woods's popularity comes from his endorsements; video games, his own gatorade, etc etc etc. This is largely the result of him being THE most dominant figure in his sport, but my point remains in popularity outside the sport.

 

I realize Im phrasing this poorly, so as an example: David Beckham is also famous for his pop culture status, which originally resulted from his soccer play, whereas, someone like Messi is more popular as "just" a soccer player... Same for like, the Maria Sharapovas, and Derek Jeters...

I don't see how you can differentiate. Any of the BIG athletes, anyone who would even be closes to considered the most famous in the world, have tons of endorsements.

 

Hell, in 2008 Federer made $10M in tennis and $25M outside of it. He'd be going down that route.

If you wanna go that route, I'm willing to bet Maria Sharapova is probably more "popular" albeit for different reasons... and she's an accomplished athlete

 

(this one's for Schnellders)

 

>_>

 

I was going to bring that up too. Sharapova is probably more popular than Federer.

 

That said, I don't see how it's "[going] that route". I mentioned the most famous athlete as someone who is also the best athlete at his sport.

 

"That route" was just popularity beyond the sport. A large portion of Tiger Woods's popularity comes from his endorsements; video games, his own gatorade, etc etc etc. This is largely the result of him being THE most dominant figure in his sport, but my point remains in popularity outside the sport.

 

I realize Im phrasing this poorly, so as an example: David Beckham is also famous for his pop culture status, which originally resulted from his soccer play, whereas, someone like Messi is more popular as "just" a soccer player... Same for like, the Maria Sharapovas, and Derek Jeters...

I don't see how you can differentiate. Any of the BIG athletes, anyone who would even be closes to considered the most famous in the world, have tons of endorsements.

 

Hell, in 2008 Federer made $10M in tennis and $25M outside of it. He'd be going down that route.

 

The 25M "outside" included appearance/exhibition fees... Roger Federer took home ~1 million dollars for each exhibition match he had with Pete Sampras, which wound up being roughly 4-5M total. Plus ATP appearance fees and stuff for advertising directly within the ATP, let's say 2-3M. So that's anywhere between 6-8M off the "outside" and back on tennis, delivering a ~1:1 endorsement/winnings ratio. That's HUGELY different than Tiger Woods making ~10M in golf and 100M in endorsements. 10:1 vs 1:1.

 

So, like I was saying, most of Tiger Woods's popularity is self-propagating, not to say it isn't well deserved and such... Basically he's more popular as a pop-culture figure than as an athlete, though. It's really a semantics argument in my view.

Probably the most famous soccer star (Ronaldo maybe)?

Probably the most famous soccer star (Ronaldo maybe)?

 

 

By my semantics, yes one of the Ronaldo/Beckham/Ronaldino/Messi group... overall though, Tiger

Messi has probably over taken Ronaldo in popularity. Ronaldo isn't liked by MANY. I never understood how a golfer can be more famous than a soccer player. Everyone can play soccer anywhere in the world. Only a small select few play golf anywhere.

Tiger Woods and David Beckham are in a league of their own in terms of global recognition. One other name I will throw out there, Muhammad Ali.

Messi has probably over taken Ronaldo in popularity. Ronaldo isn't liked by MANY. I never understood how a golfer can be more famous than a soccer player. Everyone can play soccer anywhere in the world. Only a small select few play golf anywhere.

 

 

But the ladies LOVE Ronaldo (over Messi, Ronaldinho, etc.) and women are half the population. Only Beckham can challenge him in that regard but Beckham is past his prime.

Tiger.

If you wanna go that route, I'm willing to bet Maria Sharapova is probably more "popular" albeit for different reasons... and she's an accomplished athlete

 

(this one's for Schnellders)

 

>_>

 

I was going to bring that up too. Sharapova is probably more popular than Federer.

 

That said, I don't see how it's "[going] that route". I mentioned the most famous athlete as someone who is also the best athlete at his sport.

 

"That route" was just popularity beyond the sport. A large portion of Tiger Woods's popularity comes from his endorsements; video games, his own gatorade, etc etc etc. This is largely the result of him being THE most dominant figure in his sport, but my point remains in popularity outside the sport.

 

I realize Im phrasing this poorly, so as an example: David Beckham is also famous for his pop culture status, which originally resulted from his soccer play, whereas, someone like Messi is more popular as "just" a soccer player... Same for like, the Maria Sharapovas, and Derek Jeters...

I don't see how you can differentiate. Any of the BIG athletes, anyone who would even be closes to considered the most famous in the world, have tons of endorsements.

 

Hell, in 2008 Federer made $10M in tennis and $25M outside of it. He'd be going down that route.

 

The 25M "outside" included appearance/exhibition fees... Roger Federer took home ~1 million dollars for each exhibition match he had with Pete Sampras, which wound up being roughly 4-5M total. Plus ATP appearance fees and stuff for advertising directly within the ATP, let's say 2-3M. So that's anywhere between 6-8M off the "outside" and back on tennis, delivering a ~1:1 endorsement/winnings ratio. That's HUGELY different than Tiger Woods making ~10M in golf and 100M in endorsements. 10:1 vs 1:1.

 

So, like I was saying, most of Tiger Woods's popularity is self-propagating, not to say it isn't well deserved and such... Basically he's more popular as a pop-culture figure than as an athlete, though. It's really a semantics argument in my view.

I can't find the numbers for this year, but even in 2006 Federer was taking in 22M in endorsements. You're comparing a pot and a kettle. Hell, they have the same agency, many of the same endorsements, and even appear in many of the same advertisements.

Depends on what you mean by popular. As in most fans? Like say I'm a Dirk Nowitzki fan for example. Like, that? Or instead, is it most people that know who they are? IMO being popular should mean biggest FANbase, not most people who are familiar and interested in them.

 

That said, I think it would be Tiger, I guess..

Its gotta be Tiger Woods hands down. Maybe not the most popular sport...

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