If top tier guys are making..

[Chick]

If top tier bodybuilders like Ronnie, Jay and a few others are making around 150 k a year. What do 2nd and 3rd tiers make?

What about the NPC guys? What's the point taking massive amounts of drugs and living a shitty life when you struggle to break even?

Wouldn't they be better off spending their drug money on an education? And if they're not the academic type, then why couldn't they just have picked a trade like plumbing or carpentry?

Something tells me competitive bodybuilders aren't really all that smart. 

150K a year???

Ronnie and Jay both make upwards of 1M/ year...not sure where you're getting your info from...but you're waaaaaaaaaaaaaay off...

[jude2]

Jay's cars cost more than 150K.  He also owns some nice real estate.  Of course Jay and Ronnie are the exceptions.

[Camel Jockey]

150K a year???

Ronnie and Jay both make upwards of 1M/ year...not sure where you're getting your info from...but you're waaaaaaaaaaaaaay off...

Too bad they'll be dead before 60.

[OneMoreRep]

150K a year???

Ronnie and Jay both make upwards of 1M/ year...not sure where you're getting your info from...but you're waaaaaaaaaaaaaay off...

Really, how do you figure that amount Robert Michael?

Can you give us a hypothetical spreadsheet here of where those funds would be coming from?

You say upwards of 1 million per year, give us a breakdown, please...

[Camel Jockey]

Really, how do you figure that amount Robert Michael?

Can you give us a hypothetical spreadsheet here of where those funds would be coming from?

You say upwards of 1 million per year, give us a breakdown, please...

No one is going to do an audit of Ronnie or Jay.

But it's painfully obvious that BBing is a joke. I mean pro wrestling isn't respected much, but their stars make millions.

[OneMoreRep]

No one is going to do an audit of Ronnie or Jay.

But it's painfully obvious that BBing is a joke. I mean pro wrestling isn't respected much, but their stars make millions.

Again, ridiculous..  You are comparing apples and oranges when looking at wrestling compared to bodybuilding.  The WWE is a revenue monster compared to PRO bodybuilding.

Unless someone can give a hypothetical breakdown of some numbers, I call bullshit.

I love Robert Michael, he is like a brother to me and all, but even Robert Michael can sometimes embellish things a little..

[Matt C]

Ronnie, Jay, and Gunter all make around $500,000-1M per year.  I'm not sure about Gunter this year, but between 2002-2006 that was accurate.  The other guys don't make much.

In 2004, Chick said on musclemayhem that his contract with BB.com was 4.3 million but I think that was a joke to try to outdo Paul Dillett's alleged 4.2 million dollar contract.  When someone on mayhem questioned Bob, he didn't answer.    But I think he was joking but have no idea.  I'm not sure how many years he signed on with BB.com for.

[OneMoreRep]

Ronnie, Jay, and Gunter all make around $500,000-1M per year.  I'm not sure about Gunter this year, but between 2002-2006 that was accurate.  The other guys don't make much.

In 2004, Chick said on musclemayhem that his contract with BB.com was 4.3 million but I think that was a joke to try to outdo Paul Dillett's alleged 4.2 million dollar contract.  When someone on mayhem questioned Bob, he didn't answer.    But I think he was joking but have no idea.  I'm not sure how many years he signed on with BB.com for.

Again, where are you guys getting your figures from?  Matt, I worry, that just to follow suit, you might be talking out of your ass again..

[Matt C]

Again, where are you guys getting your figures from?  Matt, I worry, that just to follow suit, you might be talking out of your ass again..

Ronnie's BSN contract was for a million dollars over 2-3 years I believe.  The Olympia paid him $150,000 and he scores around $3,000 per guest pose.  Jay has a similar contract with MuscleTech and similar prize money.  Jay also guest poses once every other week and that works out to $78,000 per year.  Between 2004-2006 both were making a bare minimum of $10,000 per year on DVDs and if I were to guess I would say a lot more than that (10K was something the average pro could pull from DVD sales when the market was strong).  Both Ronnie and Jay were sweeping up those grand prix shows for 10K a pop.  Add things up and you definitely have 500K or more.  Of course that is before tax.

[Chick]

Really, how do you figure that amount Robert Michael?

Can you give us a hypothetical spreadsheet here of where those funds would be coming from?

You say upwards of 1 million per year, give us a breakdown, please...

Sure...heres a hypo of a top IFBB superstar:

Contract(s): $600K
Prize money: $150K+
Guest posings: 15 @ 5K ea.: $75K
DVD/ Merch sales: $50K
Other endorsements: $50K


Total: $925K

Not including any other business ventures, investments etc.....

[OneMoreRep]

Ronnie's BSN contract was for a million dollars over 2-3 years I believe.  The Olympia paid him $150,000 and he scores around $3,000 per guest pose.  Jay has a similar contract with MuscleTech and similar prize money.  Jay also guest poses once every other week and that works out to $78,000 per year.  Between 2004-2006 both were making a bare minimum of $10,000 per year on DVDs and if I were to guess I would say a lot more than that (10K was something the average pro could pull from DVD sales when the market was strong).  Both Ronnie and Jay were sweeping up those grand prix shows for 10K a pop.  Add things up and you definitely have 500K or more.  Of course that is before tax.

The DVD amount is very off, for as most people burn those things off the internet or just burn a copy off their friends and pass it along at the gym...

With your numbers and logic, both guys AT MOST would be making $500K a year.  After taxes, forget it, they would be lucky if able to pull in a clean $400,000/year.

So these claims about them making 1M/year are completely bogus.  They both make more like $300,000 - $450,000/year (Before Taxes), which is still good money, but not a damn million..

[Camel Jockey]

Most guys are not Coleman or Cutler..

What does Tamali make, and PLEASE make sure to exclude the daily allowance his parents give him!

[OneMoreRep]

Sure...heres a hypo of a top IFBB superstar:

Contract(s): $600K
Prize money: $150K+
Guest posings: 15 @ 5K ea.: $75K
DVD/ Merch sales: $50K
Other endorsements: $50K


Total: $925K

Not including any other business ventures, investments etc.....

"Sure...heres a hypo of a top IFBB superstar" - You mean Ronnie or Jay.  Numbers 3 - 10 don't see that much and they can vouch for that as well...

Contracts per year are not that high Robert Michael and you know that.  Prize money is only that high for the Olympia winner, not the runner up.  Guest posings for 5K?  I've heard more like 3K and a tub of doggcrap's protein.  DVD's do not rack in that much, that's absolutely insane.

[Matt C]

The DVD amount is very off, for as most people burn those things off the internet or just burn a copy off their friends and pass it along at the gym...

With your numbers and logic, both guys AT MOST would be making $500K a year.  After taxes, forget it, they would be lucky if able to pull in a clean $400,000/year.

So these claims about them making 1M/year are completely bogus.  They both make more like $300,000 - $450,000/year (Before Taxes), which is still good money, but not a damn million..

I can guarantee you that between 2004-2006 the top pros were making 10K per year or more on average from their DVD sales.  My website was the most targeted market on planet earth for selling bodybuilding DVDs during that time, and based on the stats I can guarantee that the top pros were making a minimum of 10K per year.  Now my sales have dropped a whopping 80% so my guess is the DVDs will simply stop being produced very soon. 

I think each pro gets 100 copies of the BFTO to sell if they compete in the Olympia so that = 4K in extra revenue which they make during appearances.  You are also underestimating the contracts of Ronnie and Jay!  They probably get close to 500K just in contract funds annually.

[bigdumbbell]

Most guys are not Coleman or Cutler..

What does Tamali make, and PLEASE make sure to exclude the daily allowance his parents give him!

u bad   

[Chick]

You wanted one of the top guys contracts...I gave it to you.


Some contracts include a bonus % of prize winnings.....DVDS make BIG money, not just here but Europe as well.



BTW...I know of one top pro who made just under $30K at FIBO alone..!

[OneMoreRep]

I can guarantee you that between 2004-2006 the top pros were 10K per year or more on average from their DVD sales.  My website was the most targeted market on planet earth for selling bodybuilding DVDs during that time, and based on the stats I can guarantee that the top pros were making a minimum of 10K per year.  Now my sales have dropped a whopping 80% so my guess is the DVDs will simply stop being produced very soon. 

I think each pro gets 100 copies of the BFTO to sell if they compete in the Olympia so that = 4K in extra revenue which they make during appearances.  You are also underestimating the contracts of Ronnie and Jay!  They probably get close to 500K just in contract funds.

Besides BSN (Which pays Ronnie roughly $333,333/year for 3 years) and Muscletech, what other companies offer these two guys big money?

[OneMoreRep]

You wanted one of the top guys contracts...I gave it to you.

Some contracts include a bonus % of prize winnings.....DVDS make BIG money, not just here but Europe as well.

Kinda crazy, but good old Robert Michael makes way more than both Ronnie and Jay.  Part of that Rochester business mentality..

[Stavios]

for once i agree with you, doing what you love to do on a daily basis is heaven no matter what type of money you make.

WORD !

a big house and an expensive car will never make me happy.
I just need enough money to have a comfortable life, that's it

oh and a hot wife who doesn't cheat on me too  

[phyxsius]

If top tier bodybuilders like Ronnie, Jay and a few others are making around 150 k a year. What do 2nd and 3rd tiers make?

2nd and 3rd tiers made around 20k per year by becoming their gardener or butler

[Matt C]

Besides BSN (Which pays Ronnie roughly $333,333/year for 3 years) and Muscletech, what other companies offer these two guys big money?

When the post said "top tier guys", I was talking about the top three.    Outside of the top three, I doubt most of the guys see anywhere close to that...but I could see the top three earners in the IFBB making 500K-1M per year before taxes.

[Stavios]

When the post said "top tier guys", I was talking about the top three.    Outside of the top three, I doubt most of the guys see anywhere close to that...but I could see the top three earners in the IFBB making 500K-1M per year before taxes.

most guys make good money dealing steroids ( hell even local bber, as long as your in shape and "big" people will ask you for some)

not that I think there is anything wrong with that

[Matt C]

most guys make good money dealing steroids ( hell even local bber, as long as your in shape and "big" people will ask you for some)

not that I think there is anything wrong with that

Yep!  Another good point.  Keep in mind a lot of smart competitive bodybuilders wouldn't even need to pay for their own gear because they have enough connections and would probably be able to sell some too.

[Camel Jockey]

Drug dealers make a lot, that I know..

I know some guys and the money the pull is amazing. Of course they are dealing coke and dope and not hormones.

Hormones would be safer, as the people needing the shit would not rat as much.

[Earl1972]

Too bad they'll be dead before 60.

alot of people that aren't bodybuilders will be dead before 50

E