In its annual review of the top 100 Most Powerful Athletes, Businessweek has named Shaun White as number two right behind football player Payton Manning and just ahead of Tiger Woods. Why did they put him on the list:
With his fiery red locks and dorky attempts to look cool, Shaun White is the lovable face of both snowboarding and skateboarding. He dominated the halfpipe at the Olympics this year, proving once again that he is the world’s best snowboarder and an attractive athlete to brands that want to appeal to youth.
They estimate his annual earnings to be around $8.8 million. When compared to other athletes’ annual pay and sponsorship deals Mr. White seems like a bit of a novelty player on the Businessweek list, but that what snowboarding is to many people and what’s good for Shaun is good for snowboarding, right?
[Link: Businessweek]
