Forbes: Tiger Woods first athlete to hit 1 billion mark in earnings

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Furret said:
No one outside the U.S. knows who he is.

Golf is an international sport.
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

*takes a deep breath*

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
 
Furret said:
No one outside the U.S. knows who he is.

Golf is an international sport.
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I'm not sure would I would go that far to say Jordan is not known outside or the US. His sneakers are probably more popular in Japan than the Xbox 360.

But we do have a lot of GAF members outside of the US. Did you know of Jordan at the peak of his career?
 
Dresden said:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

*takes a deep breath*

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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Whatever, I'd never heard of him until that film with Bugs Bunny.

I've certainly never seen him on TV since.
 
LQX said:
I'm not sure would I would go that far to say Jordan is not known outside or the US. His sneakers are probably more popular in Japan than the Xbox 360.

But we do have a lot of GAF members outside of the US. Did you know of Jordan at the peak of his career?
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I'd guess he was a small child back then
 
Furret said:
Whatever, I'd never heard of him until that film with Bugs Bunny.

I've certainly never seen him on TV since.
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As someone that grew up in Germany during the 90s, I definitely knew who Jordan was. Hell, I knew who Scottie Pippen was, too.
 
Furret said:
Whatever, I'd never heard of him until that film with Bugs Bunny.

I've certainly never seen him on TV since.
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I don't know, Jordan was an international icon. For a good period of time his name was synonymous with basketball, like Tiger's name is with golf.
 
Dresden said:
I don't know, Jordan was an international icon. For a good period of time his name was synonymous with basketball, like Tiger's name is with golf.
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That's like saying Ian Botham's name is synonymous with cricket - that doesn't mean much if the sport is not popular in a particular country.

Golf is one of the few sports that is both played and watched across the entire world.
 
Furret said:
That's like saying Ian Botham's name is synonymous with cricket - that doesn't mean much if the sport is not popular in a particular country.

Golf is one of the few sports that is both played and watched across the entire world.
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basketball is pretty international, where are you from that it's not watched?
 
Tiger gets more money just by showing up than the winner takes home. Doesn't he get around a $3M "appearance fee"?
 
Furret said:
Golf is one of the few sports that is both played and watched across the entire world.
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You make it sound like golf is super popular in every country that it's played. I bet the average person can't even name a golfer other than Tiger Woods.

EDIT - I just asked my two closest coworkers and one said "Jack Nicklaus", which is true but he has long since retired. The other said "Isn't there someone named Love?" which is also true, but he didn't exactly know Davis Love III by name.

Sports fans, of course, can name more than one golfer, but the average person isn't going to know this stuff.
 
So in this thread we have both Tiger Woods not being a real athlete and MJ and basketball not being strong internationally? I haven't had a good laugh like this in a while, thanks. :lol
 
Gigglepoo said:
You make it sound like golf is super popular in every country that it's played. I bet the average person can't even name a golfer other than Tiger Woods.
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Does Happy Gilmore count?
 
Gigglepoo said:
You make it sound like golf is super popular in every country that it's played. I bet the average person can't even name a golfer other than Tiger Woods.
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That would probably depend on how much they like golf.

The point is everyone in the world knows Tiger Woods, if not by face then at least his name. My mum knows who he is and she hates sport in general and golf in particular.

I know for the fact that in the UK, and I'm sure elsewhere, the same could not be said of Michael Jordan.
 
LQX said:
I am surprised Michael Jordan never hit the 1 billion mark.
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From the article:

Annual sales of the Jordan brand are now $1 billion for Nike, so MJ should hit the $1 billion mark in career earnings in the next four to five years.
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He'll get there soon enough.

Zero Hero said:
Tiger gets more money just by showing up than the winner takes home. Doesn't he get around a $3M "appearance fee"?
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Isn't that only for non-PGA Tour tournaments he doesn't normally play, like in Dubai?
 
The point is everyone in the world knows Tiger Woods, if not by face then at least his name. My mum knows who he is and she hates sport in general and golf in particular.

I know for the fact that in the UK, and I'm sure elsewhere, the same could not be said of Michael Jordan.
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That's because he's still active and thus still being widely talked about, genius. Back in the 90s it was Michael Jordan, plain and simple. Anytime Jordan came over to play in a country that wasn't the US, it was a big event. For example, the '92 Olympics in Barcelona and the McDonald's Open in Paris in '97. There's also a reason why his brand still sells well(worldwide) today, because of you know, the name MJ. Just because "you" never heard of him doesn't change that.

Still, that is irrelevant. This is about Woods being able to do the Billion Dollar Shuffle. :lol
 
out0v0rder said:
thats just golf earnings, imagine how much he gets from gatorade and EA.
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Ummmmm....
Forbes has been tracking athlete earnings since before Tiger turned pro. Woods had earned a cumulative $895 million going into 2009, by our estimates, from prize money, appearance fees, endorsements, bonuses and his golf course design business. If you add his $10.5 million in 2009 prize money, the FedEx bonus and his take so far this year from his more than $100 million in annual off-the-course earnings, Woods' career earnings are now 10 figures.
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Furret said:
No one outside the U.S. knows who he is.

Golf is an international sport.
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you fucking serious?

Basketball is the 2nd most popular sport in the world.
 
GaimeGuy said:
you fucking serious?

Basketball is the 2nd most popular sport in the world.
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This list suggests it's the tenth, from here: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_most_popular_sport_in_the_world

1) Football. 3.3-3.5 Billion Fans. (Europe, Africa, Asia, Americas,etc)
2) Cricket 2-3. Billion Fans. (India,U.K,Pakistan,Asia,Australia,etc)
3) Field Hockey. 2-2.2 Bilion Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia)
4) Tennis. Around 1 Billion Fans. (Europe, Americas, Asia)
5) Volleyball Around 900 Million Fans. (Asia, Erope, Americas, Australia)
6) Table Tennis Around 900 Million Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Americas)
7) Baseball Around 500 Million Fans. (U.S, Japan, Cuba, Dom rep)
8) Golf Around 400 Million Fans. (U.S, Canada, Europe)
9) Gridiron (american football) 390-410 Million Fans. (U.S mainly)
10) Basketball Not more than 400M Fans. (U.S, Canada mainly)

This seems to bear out the same general order: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_attendances
 
Furret said:
That would probably depend on how much they like golf.

The point is everyone in the world knows Tiger Woods, if not by face then at least his name. My mum knows who he is and she hates sport in general and golf in particular.

I know for the fact that in the UK, and I'm sure elsewhere, the same could not be said of Michael Jordan.
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I didn't know shit about basketball back then, but I knew who Jordan was, and the only NBA games I've ever seen are the Bulls games when he was playing (I'm from mainland Europe). He was definitely as famous as Woods at his peak, probably more, since basketball is kind of bigger than golf in terms of viewership.
 
Furret said:
This list suggests it's the tenth, from here: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_most_popular_sport_in_the_world

1) Football. 3.3-3.5 Billion Fans. (Europe, Africa, Asia, Americas,etc)
2) Cricket 2-3. Billion Fans. (India,U.K,Pakistan,Asia,Australia,etc)
3) Field Hockey. 2-2.2 Bilion Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia)
4) Tennis. Around 1 Billion Fans. (Europe, Americas, Asia)
5) Volleyball Around 900 Million Fans. (Asia, Erope, Americas, Australia)
6) Table Tennis Around 900 Million Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Americas)
7) Baseball Around 500 Million Fans. (U.S, Japan, Cuba, Dom rep)
8) Golf Around 400 Million Fans. (U.S, Canada, Europe)
9) Gridiron (american football) 390-410 Million Fans. (U.S mainly)
10) Basketball Not more than 400M Fans. (U.S, Canada mainly)

This seems to bear out the same general order: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_attendances
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1. Football
2. Cricket
3. Tennis
4. Gymnastics
5. Swimming
6. Cycling
7. Karate
8. Basketball
9. Field Hockey
10. Baseball

Another list on the exact same page you quoted. Don't be selective with the information you want to use.
 
Oh who gives a shit about most popular sport, that's not the point. Point is, Jordan is and was known internationally, probably more than Tiger or almost any other athlete in the world.

You can go to any country in the world and they'll know who MJ is, whether they play ball in that country or not. You mentioned Space Jam and that grossed more in the foreign market than in North America. I think MJ's popularity had something to do with that. :lol
 
Sorry dude, but MJ is definitely the most famous athlete in the world not named Ali or Tiger.

The only way you'd think otherwise if you were born in 1995 or later.
 
Furret said:
That would probably depend on how much they like golf.

The point is everyone in the world knows Tiger Woods, if not by face then at least his name. My mum knows who he is and she hates sport in general and golf in particular.

I know for the fact that in the UK, and I'm sure elsewhere, the same could not be said of Michael Jordan.
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bullshit. Jordan was the face of globalism in the late 80s and early 90s. Basketball isn't some insular American sport anymore primarily because of the heavy marketing surrounding MJ back in the day.
 
The Orange said:
1. Football
2. Cricket
3. Tennis
4. Gymnastics
5. Swimming
6. Cycling
7. Karate
8. Basketball
9. Field Hockey
10. Baseball

Another list on the exact same page you quoted. Don't be selective with the information you want to use.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I 'm more shocked that people watch gymnastics or swimming outside of the Olympics, or that people watch field hockey at any time.
 
Michael Jordan was the closest thing America had to an internationally recognised icon from one of their domestic sports. He has massive recognition. Surprised he has only made $800mn.

Woods reaching $1bn is a sad reflection on the funding Golf receives compared to other sport, but whatever the case he has dominated it and hats off to him.

Schumacher reaching $700mn is par for the course since he dominated the wealthiest single championship in the world. Had Schumacher continued in 2007 and 2008, world titles 8 and 9 would have seen him top $1bn in 2009.

Lewis Hamilton will reach $1bn.
 
Nah, it's true, Michael Jordan is pretty unheard of out of the US. Nobody gives a shit about basketball in Europe.
 
Furret said:
This list suggests it's the tenth, from here: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_most_popular_sport_in_the_world

1) Football. 3.3-3.5 Billion Fans. (Europe, Africa, Asia, Americas,etc)
2) Cricket 2-3. Billion Fans. (India,U.K,Pakistan,Asia,Australia,etc)
3) Field Hockey. 2-2.2 Bilion Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia)
4) Tennis. Around 1 Billion Fans. (Europe, Americas, Asia)
5) Volleyball Around 900 Million Fans. (Asia, Erope, Americas, Australia)
6) Table Tennis Around 900 Million Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Americas)
7) Baseball Around 500 Million Fans. (U.S, Japan, Cuba, Dom rep)
8) Golf Around 400 Million Fans. (U.S, Canada, Europe)
9) Gridiron (american football) 390-410 Million Fans. (U.S mainly)
10) Basketball Not more than 400M Fans. (U.S, Canada mainly)

This seems to bear out the same general order: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_attendances
Click to expand...

I'm skeptical about that list. Remember also that Basketball is extremely popular because it is actually played by millions more around the globe. One needs only a ball and a hoop of some sorts to practice or play. It is a very popular sport in impoverished countries in Africa where Jordan is literally a legend. But anyways to say he is unknown outside the US alone is pretty laughable. Most of the developed world (and even the undeveloped) know him.
 
Aurora said:
Nah, it's true, Michael Jordan is pretty unheard of out of the US. Nobody gives a shit about basketball in Europe.
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No people may not watch Basketball here but they know the name. Like American's know of Pele.
 
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