Sports stars, especially those playing at the top of their game, often rake in the millions. However, even the elite sports stars have often taken what they’ve earned and invested it, be it in businesses or something else, to make even more money outside sport. And it’s a technique that has paid dividends for many.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal, also known as Shaq, is an NBA legend. He won the championship on four occasions in a career spanning nineteen years. And it’s fair to say that Shaq built up quite the bank balance at that time. But he was always quick to keep moving forward and away from the sport. He has made a lot of wise investments into companies such as Five Guys, Google and Ring, utilizing video editing software to make highly viral videos to support advertisements to boost these investments. As he stands at a whopping 7’1, he’s not an easy person to miss on any kind of video!
George Foreman
George Foreman was not only the heavyweight champion of the world on two occasions during his pomp, but he also won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Boxing under the name of Big George due to his 6’4” frame, he beat the likes of Joe Frazier and was also a part of the iconic Rumble in the Jungle, where he faced off against Muhammad Ali. And while he earned a fair amount from his achievements in sports, Foreman since became renowned for the George Foreman Grill, which has sold millions of units worldwide, and they continue to fly off the shelf today. All of which Foreman continues to profit from years down the line.
Tony Hawk
Tony Hawk is arguably the most recognisable and renowned skateboarder ever to live. What he managed to achieve over the years was huge for the sport in general, but it’s perhaps what he did after his career came to an end that has paid off the most, in terms of earnings and shining a positive light on skateboarding at the same time. Hawk is the president of his own company, Tony Hawk Inc., and in this brand, there’s everything from his hit video games Tony Hawk Pro Skater to digital content and more. He’s undoubtedly made more money since leaving the sport as a participant, but still because of the sport all the same.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams has recently announced her retirement from professional tennis, a sport she excelled at and dominated for many years. Williams, like many sports stars, knew that playing tennis wouldn’t be forever, so she’s been working on things away from the sport for a number of years, which includes building an investment portfolio. Her investment company is called Serena Ventures, and she’s operated it since 2014. She has a host of investments in play, including a shareholding in the UFC.