ANKARA
A U.S. Major League Baseball player has extended his contract for $325 million, setting a new sports record in the process.
Giancarlo Stanton, 25, signed a 13-year contract Tuesday with the Miami Marlins, surpassing former record-holder Miguel Cabrera.
Earlier this year, Cabrera signed a $292 million contract with the Detroit Tigers baseball team.
Stanton's deal now tops the list of the most valuable sports contracts in history. The list shows that 28 of the 30 most highly paid athletes in history played baseball.
Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen, who races for Ferrari, is in 22nd place, due to a $153 million, three-year contract he signed in 2007.
Real Madrid's Welsh football star, Gareth Bale, came in 27th place for his $146.28 million six-year contract, which started in 2013.
All contract values in the following tables have been converted into dollars according to the exchange rate at the start of the contract.
Athletes in individual sports -- such as boxing, tennis and golf -- are excluded from the list as they earn money in different competitions, as opposed to a having regular income every season.
The 15 most expensive deals in sports history, as compiled by AA, are as follows:
| |
Athlete |
Team |
Branch |
Deal value (million USD) |
| 1 |
Giancarlo Stanton |
Miami Marlins |
Baseball |
325 |
| 2 |
Miguel Cabrera |
Detroit Tigers |
Baseball |
292 |
| 3 |
Alex Rodriguez |
New York Yankees |
Baseball |
275 |
| 4 |
Alex Rodriguez |
Texas Rangers |
Baseball |
252 |
| 5 |
Robinson Cano |
Seattle Mariners |
Baseball |
240 |
| |
Albert Pujols |
Los Angeles Angels |
Baseball |
240 |
| 7 |
Joey Votto |
Cincinnati Reds |
Baseball |
225 |
| 8 |
Clayton Kershaw |
Los Angeles Dodgers |
Baseball |
215 |
| 9 |
Prince Fielder |
Detroit Tigers |
Baseball |
214 |
| 10 |
Derek Jeter |
New York Yankees |
Baseball |
189 |
| 11 |
Joe Mauer |
Minnesota Twins |
Baseball |
184 |
| 12 |
Justin Verlander |
Detroit Tigers |
Baseball |
180 |
| |
Mark Teixeira |
New York Yankees |
Baseball |
180 |
| 14 |
Felix Hernandez |
Seattle Mariners |
Baseball |
175 |
| 15 |
Buster Posey |
San Francisco Giants |
Baseball |
167 |
- Raikkonen still highest paid athlete per year
Finnish Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen still holds the title of highest paid athlete per year, due to a three-year contract he signed with Ferrari in 2007.
The contract, worth $153 million, meant that he earned $51 million annually between 2007 and 2009.
Raikkonen is followed by former German Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher who was paid $31 million per season by Ferrari from 1996 to 1999.
Clayton Kershaw, who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, comes third in the standings. He signed a $215 million contract until 2020, meaning he earns $30.1 million per season.
Manchester United's English forward Wayne Rooney comes in 6th place, earning $26 million per year.
U.S. basketball player Carmelo Anthony, currently signed by the New York Knicks, is in 13th place with $24.8 million per year.
Gareth Bale made waves last year by moving to Spanish La Liga side Real Madrid from English team Tottenham Hotspur.
His contract earns him 15th place in the table, as he earns $24.3 million per year.
The Anadolu Agency's list of most paid athletes per year is as follows:
| |
Athlete |
Team |
Branch |
Contract date |
Contract value (million USD) |
Annual salary (million USD) |
| 1 |
Kimi Raikkonen |
Ferrari |
Auto racing |
3 years (2007-2009) |
153 |
51 |
| 2 |
Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari |
Auto racing |
4 years (1996-1999) |
124 |
31 |
| 3 |
Clayton Kershaw |
Los Angeles Dodgers |
Baseball |
7 years (2014-2020) |
215 |
30.15 |
| 4 |
Miguel Cabrera |
Detroit Tigers |
Baseball |
10 years (2014-2023) |
292 |
29.2 |
| 5 |
Alex Rodriguez |
New York Yankees |
Baseball |
10 years (2008-2017) |
275 |
27.5 |
| 6 |
Wayne Rooney |
Manchester United |
Football |
4 years (2015-2019) |
104 |
26 |
| 7 |
Justin Verlander |
Detroit Tigers |
Baseball |
7 years (2013-2019) |
180 |
25.71 |
| 8 |
Alex Rodriguez |
Texas Rangers |
Baseball |
10 years (2001-2010) |
252 |
25.2 |
| 9 |
Giancarlo Stanton |
Miami Marlins |
Baseball |
13 years (2015-2027) |
325 |
25 |
| 10 |
Felix Hernandez |
Seattle Mariners |
Baseball |
7 years (2013-2019) |
175 |
25 |
| 11 |
Ryan Howard |
Philadelphia Phillies |
Baseball |
5 years (2012-2016) |
125 |
25 |
| 12 |
Josh Hamilton |
Los Angeles Angels |
Baseball |
5 years (2013-2017) |
125 |
25 |
| 13 |
Carmelo Anthony |
New York Knicks |
Basketball |
5 years (2014-2019) |
124.06 |
24.81 |
| 14 |
Zack Greinke |
Los Angeles Dodgers |
Baseball |
6 years (2013-2019) |
147 |
24.5 |
| 15 |
Gareth Bale |
Real Madrid |
Football |
6 years (2013-2019) |
146.28 |
24.38 |
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