On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Jacob Feldman are joined by Kurt Badenhausen to discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including the highest paid tennis players.
Jannik Sinner led the way in the 12 months ending August 2025 with an estimated $52.3 in total earnings, despite missing three months following a pair of positive drug tests. Carlos Alcaraz earned roughly $49 million, thanks to a high mark of $36 million in endorsement deals. American Coco Gauff is third among all competitors, at $35.2 million in 2024-25 money.
Tennis player earnings are driven by prize money, appearance fees and an increasing number of brands looking to be associated with athletes, Badenhausen said. Vuori and Lululemon are among the apparel brands that have joined the likes of Nike and Adidas, for instance.
Just missing the top 10? American Ben Shelton, who has risen up the charts with his bombastic play and off-court appearances, including with girlfriend Trinity Rodman. All that’s missing is a breakthrough performance at this year’s U.S. Open.
The hosts also discuss ESPN launching its direct-to-consumer service, which comes at the intersection of two trends changing sports media. For one, fans are watching in new ways. ESPN is adding a TikTok-like feed to its app, delivering a personalized stream of highlights, including an AI-powered SportsCenter recap. Second, game rights have begun moving away from cable to digital platforms. But ESPN has managed to grab more games than ever—up to 47,000 events annually.
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
