Serena Williams Is Highest-Earning Female Athlete, According To Forbes

Apparently, Serena Williams doesn’t have to be dominating on the tennis court to be the highest-earning female athlete. According to Forbes, Serena only won $62,000 in prize money during the last 12 months but still managed to top the list of the highest-paid female athletes of 2018. How did she manage to do that? She has “an endorsement portfolio unmatched among women in sports”, which earned her a cool $18.1 million. 

Serena’s endorsement deals with brands like Nike and Intel have made her the top-earning female athlete in the world for three years in a row.

According to a research done by Marketing Arm in regards to marketability, among more than 4,500 celebrities, Serena ranks in the top 1% “because of a 91% awareness rate and high scores for aspiration and trust.” 

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Matt Fleming, who runs the Marketing Arm’s practice of securing celebrities on behalf of brands, explains the power of Serena by saying: “She has a lethal combination as the best to play the sport and the story she has with Venus, breaking through as African-American tennis players. Now, as a mother, it adds another layer of attractiveness from a marketers’ standpoint.” 

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The other black athletes that made the top 10 list of highest-earners include Sloane Stephens (at #3 with total earnings of $11.2 million) and Venus Williams (at #6 with a total earnings of $10.2 million).