ESPN The Magazine ranks the world's most beloved athletes using a proprietary formula. The Sports Analytics department of ESPN ranked 800 athletes based upon three factors that impact fame: Google trends score, endorsement dollars, and social media following. Peter Keating, a senior writer, explores why being famous doesn't necessarily mean being popular or loved. You can make informed decisions about your favorite athlete by looking at the top 100 athletes around the globe.
Canelo
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez is among the highest-paid athletes in the world. He signed a $365 million, five-year deal with DAZN last year. His deal was the largest ever signed in sports history. Alvarez (28 years old) has won five championships. Three of them were by knockout. In addition, he's the highest-paid Mexican athlete and won the WBA "regular" super middleweight title.
Ledecky
American swimmer Katie Ledecky sets the gold standard in female swimming. She is also arguably the most successful female athlete of all time. For almost a decade she has been competing on the international stage, winning an unprecedented 15 gold medals. Ledecky is also a world record holder and has won five World Championships. She will be competing in the Tokyo 2020 Games as an Olympic gold medalist.
Giannis Anetokounmpo
Giannis Antitookounmpe, a professional basketball player, has made a name for himself in 2019. He has also launched a basketball academy in his hometown of Athens, Greece. The AntetokounBros academy was founded to help underprivileged children play basketball. This program is open to boys and girls aged between 12-16, as well young athletes who wish to coach.
Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe is one of the most famous athletes in the world, and not just because of her stellar sporting career. Her activism in fighting for equal pay and racial equality has made her a household name. In fact, Rapinoe has been the subject of several articles, including a recent one in The New York Times about the impact of the CARES Act. Here are some of her achievements in 2019.
Biles
Simone Biles, after taking a break from the sport following the Olympics, was back in the spotlight in 2018. To keep the spotlight on her, she hired Laurent Landi and Cecile Landi to be her coaches. She also removed her competition. It's unclear what her new relationship will look like, but it's exciting for us to see her progress. Biles also said that she'll work with Val Kondos Field (ex-UCLA coach) as an executive producer, and as a supervising choreographer. She will also be using video screens and pyrotechnics as well as an in-house DJ.