Forbes has just released its list of the top-paid female athletes, and five out of the ten spots belong to Black female athletes.
There were some athletes on the list that should be no surprise. Naomi Osaka and the Williams sisters, of course, would definitely be the top earners.
But there were some new entries on the list, as well. And according to the outlet, it’s because for the first time, women in sports — and Black female athletes — are being taken seriously in their fields.
“The world’s ten highest-paid female athletes earned a combined $167 million before taxes in 2021, according to Forbes estimates, a 23% increase over 2020 and a 16% jump from the prior record of $143.3 million set in 2013,” reports the outlet. “New money and new sponsors are pouring into women’s sports; it’s just that the dollars are being spread among more athletes and finding their way into new leagues.”
That means it’s not just tennis stars like Osaka and the Williams sisters that stand to dominate the field. Now, gymnasts and basketball players are making headway, too. And we love to see it!
Let’s take a look at the list of the top-paid Black female athletes in 2022 — and here’s to the list getting longer next year, for sure!
1. Naomi Osaka
As AfroTech previously reported, Naomi Osaka topped the list of Forbes’ highest-paid Black female athletes, raking in close to $60 million between endorsements, investments, and on-court winnings.
“Nearly all of her nearly $60 million in earnings comes from a diverse, and robust, investment portfolio, and she’s had more than 10 brand partnerships in 2021 alone,” we reported.
2. Serena Williams
AfroTech has been sharing all of Serena Williams’ wins from nearly the beginning. She came in second place among Forbes’ highest-paid Black female athletes, with a sweet $49.5 million payday. As with Naomi, most of Serena’s earnings came from investments off the court. Serena’s investments include Cloud9, HUED, Esusu, and more.
3. Venus Williams
She’s an advocate for mental health, an entrepreneur and she’s also Serena’s sister. Venus Williams comes in at No. 3 on the Forbes highest-paid Black female athletes. She took home an $11.3 million payday, according to the outlet.
4. Simone Biles
This is the first time that GOAT gymnast Simone Biles made the Forbes list of highest-paid Black female athletes.
As AfroTech previously reported, Biles is also the GOAT when it comes to investing, with her recent investment in Cerebral, a mental health startup, bringing the company’s valuation to a cool $4 billion. This, along with her other investments and her success at the Tokyo Olympics, earned Biles a cool $10.1 million payday.
5. Candace Parker
Rounding out the top ten list is Candace Parker, the WNBA great, who has started to really make strides for herself, as AfroTech previously reported. As the first woman athlete to appear on the cover of NBA 2K, it’s easy to see how her star could be quickly on the rise. She brought home $5.7 million in earnings, according to Forbes.
