ESPN The Magazine has developed a proprietary formula for ranking the most famous athletes in the world. 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. A look at the top 100 athletes in the world can help you make an informed decision about your favorite athlete.
Canelo
Saul "Canelo” Alvarez is one of the most highly-paid athletes in the globe. Last year, he signed a five-year, $365 million deal with DAZN. His deal was the largest ever signed in sports history. Alvarez, 28 years of age, has won five champions, with three of them by knockout. Alvarez is also the highest-paid Mexican fighter and has won the WBA "regular super middleweight title."
Ledecky
American swimmer Katie Ledecky sets the gold standard in female swimming. She is also arguably the most successful female athlete of all time. For almost a decade she has been competing on the international stage, winning an unprecedented 15 gold medals. Ledecky has five world records, five World Championships and five Olympic golds. She will be competing in the Tokyo 2020 Games as an Olympic gold medalist.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpe is a famous basketball player. He also founded a basketball school in Athens (Greece), where he teaches. AntetokounBros' academy was started to teach basketball to children from low income families. This program is for boys and girls aged 12-16 years old, as well as young athletes interested in coaching.
Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe may be the most well-known and respected athlete in the world. She is well-known for her activism and fight for equality pay and racial injustice. In fact, Rapinoe has been the subject of several articles, including a recent one in The New York Times about the impact of the CARES Act. These are just a handful of her accomplishments for 2019,
Biles
Simone Biles, after taking a break from the sport following the Olympics, was back in the spotlight in 2018. 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. Biles will also use video screens, pyrotechnics and an in-house DJ.