ESPN The Magazine has created a proprietary formula to rank the most popular athletes around the globe. The Sports Analytics team at the company ranked 800 athletes using three factors that can influence fame: Google Trend Score, endorsement dollars and social network followers. In his piece for the magazine, senior writer Peter Keating explores why being famous isn't synonymous with being successful or liked. You can make informed decisions about your favorite athlete by looking at the top 100 athletes around the globe.
Canelo
Saul "Canelo” Alvarez ranks among the top-paid athletes around the world. Last year, he signed a five-year, $365 million deal with DAZN. His deal was the largest ever signed in sports history. Alvarez, a 28-year-old Mexican athlete, has won five titles, and three by knockout. Alvarez is also the highest-paid Mexican fighter and has won the WBA "regular super middleweight title."
Ledecky
American swimmer Katie Ledecky set the gold standard for female swimming, and is widely considered to be the greatest female swimmer of all time. Her participation on the world stage has lasted almost a decade. She won a record number of gold medals, and she is now the most successful female swimmer in history. In addition to her Olympic golds, Ledecky holds five world records and has won five World Championships. Ledecky is an Olympic gold medalist, and she will compete at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antitookounmpe, a professional basketball player, has made a name for himself in 2019. He has also launched a basketball academy in his hometown of Athens, Greece. The AntetokounBros academy was founded to help underprivileged children play basketball. The program targets boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 16, as well as young athletes who are interested in becoming coaches.
Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe may be the most well-known and respected athlete in the world. She is also known for her activism in the fight for equal compensation and racial equity. Rapinoe is the subject of numerous articles, including a recent New York Times article about the impact the CARES Act has had on Rapinoe. Here are some of her achievements in 2019.
Biles
Simone Biles returned to the scene after a short post-Olympic hiatus. She hired Laurent and Cecile as her coaches to keep her attention and eliminated her competitors. Although it is not yet known how her new relationship will turn out, it's exciting to watch her grow. Biles also confirmed that she will be working with Val Kondos Field, former UCLA coach, as executive producer/supervising choreographer. She'll also be using video screens, pyrotechnics, and an in-house DJ.