According to the most recent Forbes Rich List, the current richest man in the sports industry is Bernard Ecclestone. The President CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Association has a net worth of $4.2 billion. Not technically a sportsman, the Sunday Times Sport Rich List titles David Whelan as the richest sportsman of 2011 in the UK. With a net worth of £190 million, Whelan has sourced the majority of his wealth through football and sports equipment.
David Whelan began his career playing football for Blackburn Rovers before moving on to play over 100 games for the Crewe Alexandra. After he received an injury that made him unable to play he used the £400 he was given in compensation to begin a grocery business. Working from Blackburn Market, Whelan built his local grocers into Whelan’s Discount Stores which continued to grow until in 1978 he sold to the supermarket chain Morrison’s who parted with £1.5 million for the business. Shortly after selling Whelan’s Discount Stores he took on a small, modest sports shop called JJB in Wigan for £7,400. After developing the company, he sold his family shares for £190 million. With over £17 million of assets in other family companies, including Whelco, Whelan recently spent £83.4 million on buying JJB’s Fitness Club. Back in 1995, he bought out his local football team’s club, Wigan Athletic with a promise to get them into the Premier League. Settling down at the age of 73, Whelan and his family are worth £190 million and considering investing in bakery Pooles, who sell pies at his football team’s stadium.
Close contenders to the Sunday Times Rich List title are David Beckham, who has a net worth of £135 million, and Sir Tony O’Reilly with a healthy bank balance of £120 million. The former, one of Britain’s most famous footballers, owes his financial success to a string of generous contracts and the latter, a former international rugby union player, has sourced his wealth through rugby, food and the media.
David Whelan began his career playing football for Blackburn Rovers before moving on to play over 100 games for the Crewe Alexandra. After he received an injury that made him unable to play he used the £400 he was given in compensation to begin a grocery business. Working from Blackburn Market, Whelan built his local grocers into Whelan’s Discount Stores which continued to grow until in 1978 he sold to the supermarket chain Morrison’s who parted with £1.5 million for the business. Shortly after selling Whelan’s Discount Stores he took on a small, modest sports shop called JJB in Wigan for £7,400. After developing the company, he sold his family shares for £190 million. With over £17 million of assets in other family companies, including Whelco, Whelan recently spent £83.4 million on buying JJB’s Fitness Club. Back in 1995, he bought out his local football team’s club, Wigan Athletic with a promise to get them into the Premier League. Settling down at the age of 73, Whelan and his family are worth £190 million and considering investing in bakery Pooles, who sell pies at his football team’s stadium.
Close contenders to the Sunday Times Rich List title are David Beckham, who has a net worth of £135 million, and Sir Tony O’Reilly with a healthy bank balance of £120 million. The former, one of Britain’s most famous footballers, owes his financial success to a string of generous contracts and the latter, a former international rugby union player, has sourced his wealth through rugby, food and the media.
