ESPN compiled the World Fame 100 list; an attempt to create a ranking, through statistical analysis, of the 100 most famous athletes on the planet.
Method via ESPN:
We started off with Forbes’ list of the 100 highest-paid athletes, then sought input from ESPN journalists to add other notable athletes. ESPN director of sports analytics Ben Alamar created a formula that combined athletes’ salary/winnings and endorsements with their social media following — Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — along with Google search popularity to create a comparative ranking system.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Soccer | Portugal
Salary/winnings: $53M
Endorsements: $27M
Facebook likes: 110.8M
Twitter followers: 41.5M
2. LeBron James
Basketball | United States
Salary/winnings: $23M
Endorsements: $44M
Facebook likes: 22.4M
Twitter followers: 29.6M
3. Lionel Messi
Soccer | Argentina
Salary/winnings: $52M
Endorsements: $22M
Facebook likes: 84.3M
Twitter followers: 13.5K
4. Neymar
Soccer | Brazil
Salary/winnings: $12M
Endorsements: $17M
Facebook likes: 56.4M
Twitter followers: 22.1M
5. Roger Federer
Tennis | Switzerland
Salary/winnings: $9M
Endorsements: $58M
Facebook likes: 14.5M
Twitter followers: 4.7M
You can see the rest of the list HERE.
