Alex Honnold Unearths “Embarrassing” Paycheck for Netflix’s Taipei 101 Free Solo Climb
Alex Honnold published that he became paid an “embarrassing” paycheck for scaling Taipei 101, one of many enviornment’s tallest structures, in a are residing Netflix broadcast.
The number in Alex Honnold’s bank memoir isn’t ice climbing barely as high as he’d love.
Essentially, the unswerving rock climber published that his payday for scaling 1,667-foot skyscraper Taipei 101 with out any safety equipment, which became broadcast are residing on Netflix Jan. 25 in Taiwan, became “embarrassing,” especially when put next with what different unswerving athletes form.
“Essentially, when you set apart it within the context of mainstream sports, it’s an embarrassingly diminutive quantity,” he urged the Original York Instances in an interview published Jan. 23. “You know, Primary League Baseball players secure love $170 million contracts. Like, any person you haven’t even heard of and that no person cares about.”
Whereas he didn’t share his precise compensation, he did create “mid-six figures” for ice climbing one of many tallest structures on this planet, per the Original York Instances. That being said, Alex, 40, celebrated that he would were jubilant to total the death-defying feat for no cash at all.
“If there became no TV program and the constructing gave me permission to head produce the thing,” he explained, “I would produce the thing because I know I can, and it’d be very fair appropriate.”
The athlete—who shares daughters June, 3, and Alice, 23 months, with wife Sanni McCandless—summitted the 101-memoir constructing in precisely over an hour and a half. And this wouldn’t be his first free-solo climb. Indeed, the dad of two made history in 2017 by changing into the major particular person to climb El Capitan in Yosemite Nationwide Park with out safety ropes, which became chronicled within the Oscar-a success documentary Free Solo.
As for why he felt called to climb Taipei 101, namely? Well, that dream first began over a decade within the past.
“I essentially scouted it for a special TV thing that fell apart in 2013, I reflect,” he urged Jay Shetty throughout the Jan. 7 episode of the Jay Shetty Podcast. “So, for the final 12 years I’ve identified that it became doable. The constructing is truthfully uniquely fitted to ice climbing.”
When requested flat-out why he would strive the nail-biting climb at all, it became a no-brainer.
“Why? Which strategy of it’s awesome,” he explained. “Which strategy of I secure to, most frequently. Which strategy of it’ll be so fun.”
He added, “It’s essentially hard to secure permission to climb a constructing and when you secure permission, you roughly must snort ‘yes.’”
For a smarter take a look at extra salaries of unswerving athletes, be taught on…
Cristiano Ronaldo
For a lot of sports stars, Cristiano Ronaldo's wage is targets. In spite of every thing, the Portuguese soccer participant frequently tops lists of very best-paid athletes.
In June 2025, Ronaldo signed a two-one year extension with Al-Nassr FC in Saudi Arabia. And whereas the particular cost of the deal wasn't published, extra than one stores reported he obtained an annual wage of roughly $200 million when he first signed with the crew in 2022 after leaving Manchester United in England.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi kicked off his time at Inter Miami CF with a wide verify. The annualized common guaranteed compensation for the Argentine participant—who signed a two-and-a-half-one year contract with the David Beckham-owned crew in 2023 after having beforehand performed for Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona—is extra than $20.4 million, with a present annualized scandalous wage of $12 million, per the MLS Avid gamers Affiliation's 2025 wage guide.
Alex Morgan
Alternatively, pay gaps light exist when evaluating the salaries of male and female sports stars. Shall we embrace? There were no ladies people on Forbes' 2025 listing of top 50 very best-paid athletes.
Alex Morgan—who retired from soccer in 2024 after having fun alongside with her final sport with the San Diego Wave—came in at No. 16 on the outlet's ranking of very best-paid female athletes final one year. The newsletter estimated the World Cup champ earned $600,000 on-enviornment and $7 million off-enviornment (scoring some solid endorsement deals) in 2024.
And whereas there were strides to bridge the pay gap (with U.S. Soccer changing into the major federation to equalize FIFA World Cup prize cash for the nation's ladies people's and males's national groups), there is light a lengthy system to head unless it's a extra equitable having fun with enviornment.
Caitlin Clark
After being the No. 1 general option within the 2024 WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark signed a four-one year contract with the Indiana Fever that, per The Athletic, became price $338,056 and resulted in her receiving a $76,535 wage her rookie one year.
Many had been by the figures brooding in regards to the scandalous wage for NBA players is a long way greater.
Caitlin moreover has endorsement deals, alongside side one with Nike that The Athletic reported became price $28 million.
Stephen Curry
Topping ESPN's listing of NBA players' salaries for the 2025 to 2026 season is Stephen Curry, with the outlet reporting he raked in $59.6 million. Alternatively, the Golden Direct Warriors weren't going to miss out on their shot at having the guard play longer.
In August 2024, Steph signed a $62.6 million extension that retains him on the crew by 2027, his agent confirmed to CNBC.
LeBron James
Also dunking the general system to the bank? LeBron James. In holding with ESPN's listing, the Los Angeles Lakers forward made $52.6 million throughout the 2025 to 2026 season.
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff is moreover serving up predominant moves.
The tennis champ reigned at the tip of Forbes' listing of very best paid female athletes in 2024 with an estimated $34.4 million in total earnings that one year ($9.4 million on-court and $25 million off).
Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka seems to be to be acing her brand deals, too.
Forbes reported the Huge Slam title holder from Japan pulled in an estimated $12.9 million in 2024, and that $12 million of that sum came from profits earned outdoor of her match winnings.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles got the gold in extra system than one.
In holding with Forbes' listing, the Olympic gymnast earned an estimated $11.2 million in 2024 (with $11 million of that total reportedly coming outdoor of her competition earnings).
Travis Kelce
In case you're attempting to have the blank inform on how great Travis Kelce makes having fun with for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, here's the acknowledge: The tight stop signed a two-one year deal in 2024 price $34.25 million, per NFL Community Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Patrick Mahomes
As for his teammate Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback scored a moderately penny when he signed a 10-one year contract with the Chiefs in 2020 price $450 million, per his agency Equity Sports.
Josh Allen
The Buffalo Bills weren't going to fumble the chance to support Josh Allen on their crew. In March 2025, the quarterback inked a six-one year deal that, per Rapoport, is price $330 million (with $250 million guaranteed).
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson touched down on a original crew.
After beforehand having fun with for the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers, the quarterback signed a one-one year contract with the Original York Giants in March 2025 price $10.5 million, per NFL Community Insiders' Rapoport, Pelissero and Mike Garafolo. Alternatively, the trio reported Russell would possibly maybe maybe receive as much as $21 million on the deal by incentives.
Aaron Rodgers
Stepping in as the Steelers' quarterback is Aaron Rodgers, who beforehand performed for the Original York Jets and the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
And whereas the QB will be carrying No. 8, his paycheck displays a great bigger number. The one-one year contract he signed in June 2025 is price $13.65 million with $10 million guaranteed, per NFL Community Insiders Rapoport and Pelissero. Alternatively, the Insiders celebrated Aaron would possibly maybe maybe create as much as $19.5 million by incentives.
Source credit : eonline.com
