Is Mayweather the highest paid athelete in any sport?

Tiger's yearly earnings obviously took a massive hit with his big sponsors leaving him, but he's still making a ton of money with Nike (his absolute main sponsor) because he practically started the Nike Golf division and he's the absolute driving force behind that brand (not to mention the Tiger Woods brand itself).

 

Depends on your standard. Compared to Bill Gates? No. Compared to ANY ATHLETE in the world. By any measure - yes he is. By a decent margin. Not only that - he will be making 50-100 million per year for several more years - even another decade. Possibility of even more (if he ever does a Grand Slam).

His estimated professional career earnings has been estimated near a BILLION dollars. In 13 YEARS. PBF turned pro 14 years ago. I do not think his collective earnings is even half of that.

I think you are underestimating Woods and the golf industry. This is a sport that sells expensive products (from equipment to vacations) to young middle class to old men with OLD money (when I mean OLD money, I am talking about the ruling class around the world).

I don't play golf, but I have yet to meet an executive of a Fortune 500 company that do not have their own golf club set or at least have played golf.

People buy 2nd or 3rd houses near golf courses. That should give you an idea of the money involve in golf and the potential audience of Tiger Woods.