BRW sports earners: Stoner fourth

Casey Stoner was the fourth biggest earning Australian sports person in 2012, according to BRW magazine. That’s a two-position drop on 2011.

In the magazine’s list of the top 50 earning sports stars, Stoner pocketed $8 million in 2012 according to BRW, to position him behind only basketballer Andrew Bogut ($13.5m), F1 driver Mark Webber ($12m) and golfer Adam Scott ($10.5m) – the only sporting star to appear on every BRW top 50 since it began in 2003.

Stoner’s in front of a number of luminaries, including the man who probably holds the most exalted position in Australian sport, national cricket captain Michael Clarke (fifth with $5.5m), and Tour De France winner Cadel Evans (seventh with $4.5m).

BRW believes that if Stoner had re-signed with Repsol Honda to continue racing in 2013, he would have rocketed to top spot courtesy of a massive contact that was being dangled in front of him.

Meanwhile, Chad Reed, once a regular inside the top 10, has slipped back to 18th in 2012 after an injury-riddled year, but his take is still respectable -- $3m.

In all, five motor sport practitioners made it into the top 50, behind only golf with 10.

2012 BRW top 50 sporting earners
1. Andrew Bogut (Basketball): $13.5 million
2. Mark Webber (Motor sports): $12 million
3. Adam Scott (Golf): $10.5 million
4. Casey Stoner (Motor sports): $8 million
5. Michael Clarke (Cricket): $5.5 million
6. Luke Wilkshire (Soccer): $5 million
7. Cadel Evans (Cycling): $4.5 million
8. Tim Cahill (Soccer): $4.5 million
9. Shane Watson (Cricket):  $4.5 million
10. Grant Balfour (Baseball): $4 million
11. Jason Day (Golf): $4 million
12. Aaron Baddeley (Golf): $3.8 million
13. Mark Schwarzer (Soccer): $3.5 million
14. Brett Holman (Soccer): $3.5 million
15. Ricky Ponting (Cricket): $3.5 million
16. David Warner (Cricket): $3.2 million
17. Geoff Ogilvy (Golf): $3 million
18. Chad Reed (Motor sports): $3 million
19. David Anderson (Basketball): $2.5 million
20. Samantha Stosur (Tennis): $2.5 million
21. John Senden (Golf): $2.5 million
22. Marc Leishman (Golf): $2.2 million
23. Mick Fanning (Surfing): $2.2 million
24. Mark Bresciano (Soccer): $2.2 million
25. Gary Ablett (AFL): $2 million
26. Bernard Tomic (Tennis): $2 million
27. Greg Chalmers (Golf): $2 million
28. Taj Burrow (Surfing): $2 million
29. Scott McDonald (Soccer): $2 million
30. Michael Hussey (Cricket): $2 million
31. David Hussey (Cricket): $2 million
32. Joel Parkinson (Surfing): $2 million
33. Matthew Goss (Cycling): $2 million
34. Tom Scully (AFL): $1.8 million
35. Saverio Rocca (American football): $1.8 million
36. Israel Folau (AFL): $1.5 million
37. Matthew Neilsen (Basketball): $1.5 million
38. Edwina Tops-Alexander (Equestrian): $1.5 million
39. Marcos Ambrose (Motor sports): $1.5 million
40. Marcus Fraser (Golf): $1.5 million
41. Lucas Neill (Soccer): $1.5 million
42. Cameron White (Cricket): $1.5 million
43. Matthew Wade (Cricket): $1.3 million
44. Adam Federici (Soccer): $1.3 million
45. Chris Judd (AFL): $1.2 million
46. George Smith (Rugby union): $1.2 million
47. James Courtney (Motor sports): $1.2 million
48. Brendan Jones (Golf): $1.2 million
49. Peter Senior (Golf): $1.2 million
50. Daniel Christian (Cricket): $1.2 million