Big money

Mr Money

Earnings in 2004: 9,455,566. Total career earnings: 35,310,489. This was Vijay Singh8217;s year. While the best in the business were busy signing endorsements, the Fijian went about the business of winning titles and prize money, breaking Tiger Woods8217; record for most prize money won in a single season.

Brand Becks Just Grew

After multi-million-dollar endorsement deals with Adidas, Pepsi, Vodafone and Marks 038; Spencer, David Beckham was at it again. A five-year contract with Boston-based Gillette to plug its razors and blades will earn him 61m. Sports Illustrated says he already earns 30m a year, so this gives him somewhere in the region of 42 million. And that8217;s before the money he makes from football8230;

Wayne8217;s World

In strictly footballing terms, the big-money deal was the transfer of Wayne Rooney to manchester United. It wasn8217;t as big-money as forecast; his form at Euro 2004 had figures going as high as 80 million but eventually Alex Ferguson got his man 8212; boy 8212; for 52.3 m. That keeps him at Old Trafford till 2010, by which time he would hopefully have outgrown his streetfighting habits

Vick Lights a Flame

This one went by unnoticed in India but the sheer size is awesome: NFL team Atlanta Falcons gave their quarterback Michael Vick a 130-million, 10-year deal, the largest ever in NFL history. But even that deal, in per-season average, is second compared to Peyton Manning8217;s 98m seven-year deal with Indianapolis, signed last March.

FORBES TOP 5 EARNERS
8226; Tiger Woods US, golf 80.3m
8226; Michael Schumacher Germany, F-1 80m
8226; Peyton Manning US, NFL 42m
8226; Michael Jordan US, NBA 35m
8226; Shaquille O8217;Neal US, NBA 31.9m