NZ's top earning sports people. Graphic: Liam L. Swiggs Photo: PHOTOSPORT
With news coming through today that Cristiano Ronaldo has become football's first ever billionaire player, it's a good time to check up on our own high financial sports achievers from New Zealand.
Spoiler alert: they're not anywhere near the eight figure mark that the 40-year-old Ronaldo looks at every time he checks his savings account, but the earnings are still very lucrative and impressive.
There's a few regular entries on this list, so some names will come as no surprise. What may surprise you is who isn't, because while F1 driver Liam Lawson competes in one of the wealthiest and glamorous sports in the world, his take home earnings are reportedly 'only' around $1 million (plus performance bonuses) a season. That could change dramatically next year though - for better or worse.
Basketball - Steven Adams
Steven Adams of the Houston Rockets rebounds against the Golden State Warriors during the NBA play-offs, 2025. Photo: AFP
No surprise here that Adams still tops the charts in verifiable earnings, as his NBA contract is common knowledge. Now at the Houston Rockets, Adams signed a $84 million, three year contract extension in June, which will take his guaranteed earnings to around $362 million over a 12-year career.
Football - Chris Wood
Chris Wood celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC. Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Easily New Zealand's greatest ever presence in the English Premier League, Wood has admirably done it the hard way. Now on his 12th club in 15 years, his massive season last year with Nottingham Forest has seen him valued at around $9 million per season, which in football terms is £100,000 a week. Wood still makes himself available for every All Whites fixture, for which he gets paid a fraction of what he does for his club, and thanks in part to his contribution they will return to the FIFA World Cup next year.
Boxing - Joe Parker
Joseph Parker after beating Martin Bakole to retain his WBO interim title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 2025. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It's hard enough to confirm even the most rudimentary elements of the murky world of boxing, but it's fair to say Parker's decision to stick with the sport through to the now extremely lucrative Saudi Public Investment Fund era has been a very prudent one. He is now estimated to be picking up at least $3 million every time he steps in the ring, although a massive pay day against the likes of Oleksandr Usyk remains elusive.
Golf - Lydia Ko, Ryan Fox, Danny Lee, Steven Alker
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox. Photo: Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire / PHOTOSPORT
Fox has currently earned just under $6 million for the year, thanks to victories at the Myrtle Beach Classic and Canadian Open, as well as other results that have seen him climb into the world top 30 rankings. Meanwhile, Ko has been so successful for so long, she's now second on the all-time LPGA earning list, having taken home around $38 million in prize money across her glittering 13-year career.
Meanwhile, Lee decided to take the LIV Golf money on offer and while it's meant he's not really in the headlines, it's unlikely he cares too much as he earns around $5 million a year. Alker took home $4 million from the PGA Champions Tour last year, most of that from a $2.18 million payday after claiming the overall season title.
Rugby - Beauden Barrett, Ardie Savea
Ardie Savea. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
Here's where it gets interesting because while everyone knows that while the All Blacks are well paid, their salaries are nowhere near the PGA or NBA range. NZ Rugby keep details secret, but it's understood Barrett and Savea would be on over $1 million a year in base salary, they can pick up an even bigger chunk of change for just one season in the Japanese Rugby League One competition.
Savea will head up for his second stint at the Kobe Steelers next year, as part of a negotiated deal that will see him return to the All Blacks in July. These sort of arrangements can effectively double an All Blacks' salary within the space of a few months.
Rugby league - Dylan Brown
Parramatta Eels Dylan Brown Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Kiwis standoff will join the Newcastle Knights next season on a contract worth a reported $15 million. That is over 10 years though, but it is still the largest long term contract ever signed in the NRL.
Sailing - Peter Burling
Black Foils skipper Peter Burling. Photo: Photosport
Burling's dramatic split with Emirates Team NZ and move to rivals Luna Rossa has likely involved a pay increase, which comes on top of what he is earning on the Sail GP circuit as skipper of the Black Foils.
Cricket - Trent Boult
Trent Boult of Rajasthan Royals, 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Boult takes home around $2.5 million a season in the Indian Premer League, where he plays for the Mumbai Indians. While that's a great result for one of our greatest ever bowlers, it pales in comparison to sort of ridiculous IPL money on offer. Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and Virat Kholi have all surpassed the $30 million career earnings mark, and wages are only going to increase going forward.
