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American Tennis Icon John McEnroe’s Whopping Six-Figure Deal for Wimbledon Revealed as Commentating Giant Proves Why He Is the Best in Business

Published 06/16/2023, 5:23 AM EDT

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Former world number 1 John McEnroe dominated men’s tennis, along with rivals Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors during the 1980s. Apart from his accolades and flamboyance as a player, McEnroe also made a name for himself as one of the most renowned tennis commentators and sought-after pundits after his retirement. The American has been a regular at the commentary box in almost all the grand slams in the recent past. McEnroe is making the headlines yet again, thanks to his stint as a commentator. He is turning heads after the revelation of the massive amount of money he makes as part of BBC’s Wimbledon commentary team.

John McEnroe in the news after his massive paycheck as Wimbledon commentator comes to light

Known as a forthright personality, tennis fans have always been eager to listen to the views and opinions of John McEnroe. However, when news broke of his massive deal as BBC commentator for the upcoming Wimbledon, it certainly grabbed a few eyeballs. As reported by Yahoo UK, McEnroe’s paycheck ranges between £150,000 and £199,999 for his role as a commentator. Apart from this, he makes appearances on other programs for the BBC and can be seen on various media platforms involving tennis.

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The outspoken American has always been a top-draw superstar during his playing days. He clinched a total of 77 career singles titles and amassed a whopping $12 million in prize money in his career. Currently, his net worth is estimated to be around $100 million, owing to his myriad commercial deals and guest appearances in media outlets. The jaw-dropping BBC package for his Wimbledon commentator gig will surely add a fair share to his wealth. However, this has created some controversies.

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McEnroe’s fat payroll reignites long-standing gender pay gap debate

The huge sum of money being offered to John McEnroe for his commentary job at BBC has also raised some eyebrows. In a sport like tennis, discussions and debates regarding gender discrimination on payscale have always been rife. With female players now earning at par with their male counterparts in all major tournaments, the pay gap is still persistent in the commentary box, it seems. Some time back, it was revealed that John McEnroe earns around 10 times as much as Martina Navratilova for similar gigs as a pundit and commentator. Therefore, McEnroe’s package with BBC has been the subject of criticism from a few.

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In the upcoming Wimbledon, which begins on the 3rd of July, John McEnroe will be seen in the commentator box along with the likes of Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, and Pat Cash.

WATCH THIS STORY: Serena Williams pays tribute to Roger Federer.

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Written by:

Prithviraj Roy

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Prithviraj Roy is a tennis writer at EssentiallySports. With an academic background in Journalism & Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), he has more than 2 years of experience as a Content Writer. Prithviraj has been a die-hard fan of the 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal since his childhood years.
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Edited by:

Tony Thomas