Maria Höfl-Riesch was one of the best in the world during her active time as a ski racer. It cannot be taken for granted that she can make a living from her job. Image: IMAGO / Sammy Minkoff
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“Only the top five in the world earn really well”: Maria Höfl-Riesch on money in skiing
The sports business in Europe is a large industry with high economic weight. Especially in Germany, however, it is mainly the representatives of one sport who are financially in a comfortable position: footballers.
While the professionals of Europe’s top clubs are in the money, athletes in other sports have completely different requirements. The former German ski racer Maria Höfl-Riesch was one of the best skiers in the world when she was active. Im “Spiegel“Interview, the 36-year-old now speaks about the financial situation in professional sport.
Very few skiathletes have taken care of their job
Even with a successful athlete like the three-time Olympic champion, there is no guarantee that you have taken care of your life. In fact, very few skiers manage to get rich. “You don’t make a fortune like most football players,” says Höfl-Riesch.
“But if you are successful over many years, you can still earn decent money. If you handle it reasonably well, you can get along with it after your career. But you have to be in the top group. Only the top five in the world earn really well. the top ten at most. After that, the gradient is very steep. “
Maria Höfl-Riesch
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About her own financial situation as a professional skier, Höfl-Riesch says: “The first few years were very successful for me. At 18, 19 I won my first World Cup races and established myself among the top of the world. I have already earned so much that I was able to buy my own apartment in Garmisch as an investment. “
Success such as that achieved by Maria Höfl-Riesch is not certain for every professional skier. Many therefore also struggle with existential fears. The German winter sports athlete reports from her own experience: “I was (…) seriously injured when I was 20. Within a year, both knees were broken, one was really junk. It took a long time before I could train again and I was afraid that it wouldn’t work anymore.“
The problem: There was no plan B because the thought of it is often not beneficial for athletes. Performance also arises from willpower. “I was forced to think about one, but I didn’t want to allow this thought. I would probably have started an apprenticeship or a degree,” explains Höf-Riesch.
“The role of advertising partners is often overestimated”
The income of ski athletes is essentially made up of equipment contracts, bonuses and sponsors. The distribution is different from what many think, says Höfl-Riesch: “The role of advertising partners is often overestimated. The equipment contracts, i.e. the ski, ski boot and helmet company, are completely in the hands of the athlete. They provide material and there is a remuneration. “And further:” The helmet is the only free space for sponsors that we athletes can market ourselves. “Back then, Höfl-Riesch was sponsored by Milka for many years.
“In my active career I have allowed myself to rent a private jet from time to time”
She has achieved everything in her career and has actually managed to make a lot of money from her profession. But everything is still not there, as she reveals: “If money really didn’t matter, I’d buy a private jet. In my active career I have allowed myself to rent one from time to time when the travel conditions were too difficult. Simply to have more time for regeneration. “
If, for example, she had to travel directly from the USA to the World Cup in France in order to drive a race the next day, the private jet saved her one or two tiresome car journeys. A luxury that certainly not every competitor could afford at the time.
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