Basketball star LeBron James made $33 million last year. And that probably doesn’t surprise anyone. We’re used to watching pro athletes make and spend millions of dollars.
Tennis star Serena Williams lives in a mansion. Golfer Tiger Woods has a four-hole golf course in his backyard. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady travels in a private jet.
But there was a time when pro athletes could barely buy a car. In the 1940s, most basketball players made between $4,000 and $5,000 a year. That’s about $50,000 in today’s money.
So how did pro athletes start getting rich? Mostly, they have their fans to thank.