In 1998, Ronnie Coleman seized the throne of Mr. Olympia when 6-time winner Yates was retiring. He defeated Flex Wheeler and Nasser El Sonbaty to snatch the trophy. Since then, Coleman has become the king of bodybuilding with 8 Mr. Olympia titles to his name. His last competition was in 2007 and was in 4th place. The King, who was a policeman before becoming a bodybuilder, did step away from the industry but he remains an avid follower of the sport. However, his magnificent career saw its ups and downs. He had to undergo several surgeries which now force him to walk with assistance.
Coleman has seen the changes in the bodybuilding industry and has acquired several financial incentives along with treatments to increase his longevity. The competitions always paid their due, but according to Coleman, they were not enough. So he delved into the nitty-gritty of what a winner actually won in professional competitions.
Ronnie Coleman talks about his finances
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In a recent interview with ‘Iced Coffee Hour‘, Coleman opened up about his earnings from bodybuilding and tackled other topics on the sport. He revealed that the prize money from winning an Olympia was not enough. The main amount of money came from brand endorsements, and winning Olympia was a catalyst for that. Additional income also came from clothing, supplements, and shoe brand contracts.
The endorsements were not too shabby either since Coleman admitted to making millions through them at the height of his career. The King said, ?The biggest thing I got from winning the Olympia was the endorsement. The prize money for winning the Olympia ? $100,000 that?s nothing,? He also delved into his expenditures and explained, ?I did use that to pay off my house. But the big money came from endorsements, you know. Other stuff that I did, like I had a supplement contract, clothing contract I had, shoe contract, so all the money ? all the real money comes from endorsements.?
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He also revealed that he would be getting his pension from the time that he served as a police officer. Coleman flaunts his wealth and also talks about the expense of preparing for a competition.
When the King discussed competition expenses
In?a previous interview, he talked about the expenses that any bodybuilder has to undertake to compete in Mr. Olympia. Bodybuilders are required to at least $20,000 for each show. After they win, the cost goes up to $50,000, thanks to additional expenses like hiring a nutritionist. So the prize money from Olympia is not just if they have to spend double the amount for preparing for the competition. He used to get around $15,000 from endorsements after placing ninth or tenth.
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This interview gave an intriguing insight into the immense hard work and the money they spent on their competition. Audiences also know the amount the competitors have to spend for a competition. What is your take on the system of bodybuilding prices and endorsements? Tell in the comments below.
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