Just saw: An up-to-date ranking of the richest athletes in the world has been published online, and honestly, some names don't surprise me at all, while others do even more. Michael Jordan leads with $3.6 billion – that's just crazy when you consider he's no longer actively playing. But apparently, the Air Jordan brand still prints money.

What interests me, though: How much do the fortunes differ depending on whether they come from pure athletic careers or from business activities afterward? Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are also on the list with $1.2 billion and $850 million, but Jordan earns them many times over. LeBron, Tiger Woods, The Rock – all in the $800 million range.

The list also shows that the richest athlete in the world isn't necessarily from today. Many names are from previous decades, but they have built and invested their wealth cleverly. It's interesting how different careers and their financial outcomes can be. Who would have thought that business acumen sometimes brings more than just success on the field?