How much Tabletennis pro players make a year?

[Simas]

Had a discussion with friends how much do professional table tennis players make a year.

Although I am not sure if I remember correctly and if the numbers are true, I heard somewhere that MaLong in China Super League makes about 250000USD. Also prize money from tournaments (it was a discussion somewhere here that it isn't that much) plus sponsorship from equipment makers and other companies (that should be a lot knowing how popular MaLong and TT is popular in China) . I have a feeling that Ma Long should be making well over a mln a year.

Also I heard somewhere Timo Ball gets around 200000USD from endorsment from Butterfly.

So it should be safe to quess that top chinese players make well over a million, TB and Dima Ovtherov also should make maybe less, but still a lot.
Maybe someone has some hard numbers or have some thoughts?

I am currious how much an average player gets lets say in Bundesliga?

The year has ended so it's time to count $$$ .

 

[WorkerBee]

Very good question. I'd like to see what table tennis industries and personalities make each year to see how it all fits. DHS tables, bats, balls and clothes? Stiga? Butterfly? Donic? CCTV5? ITTF? T2? CSA?

 

[Garrison]

It's safe to assume that Boll got 3-5 million on his account by now (maybe even more, according to a newspaper he made 800k in 2010 alone). Dima has a 20 year contract with Donic and his salary in russia is probably way higher than any other european clubs pay.

Top female players in the Bundesliga make around 30k at best, so I assume for males it is anywhere between 30-60k.

(all the numbers are in euros)

 

[Ahmad Arnous]

It's safe to assume that Boll got 3-5 million on his account by now (maybe even more, according to a newspaper he made 800k in 2010 alone). Dima has a 20 year contract with Donic and his salary in russia is probably way higher than any other european clubs pay.

Top female players in the Bundesliga make around 30k at best, so I assume for males it is anywhere between 30-60k.

(all the numbers are in euros)

30K per month or per year !!!

 

[Garrison]

30K per month or per year !!!

Per year of course^^ Table tennis is not that far yet

 

[passifid]

China superleauge had a 600K limit on players (over 6m Yuan)

 

[Simas]

Per year of course^^ Table tennis is not that far yet

That's how I understood and was surprised if it can be so low. If top females make 30k per year, that's 2500eur per month. So in that case middle level athletes would make let's say some ~1500EUR -that's a minimum in Germany... are you sure? I think they should earn more....

 

[guybr50]

https://www.sportsflu.com/table-tennis/earning-table-tennis-player/

Here is some interesting article I ran into lately. That should give you a bit of a background to what's going on with top players salaries

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[Der_Echte]

Some government handout breast sukin jokers make more money for free without effort not working than hard working WR 75 players make...

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[Tony's Table Tennis]

That's how I understood and was surprised if it can be so low. If top females make 30k per year, that's 2500eur per month. So in that case middle level athletes would make let's say some ~1500EUR -that's a minimum in Germany... are you sure? I think they should earn more....

That sounds about right.

that is why players need to play in more than 1 club league - and the problem with ITTF enforcing the new world ranking, the players would be in even more burden to take part in near double more world tours than in 2017/2016 etc (majority of players took part in 5 or less world tours). Less than 10% of players took part in more than 6 or more. So imagine the extra burden (and costs) of international tournaments

Also to note, 99% of players in the world tour don't make money
Take Hungarian open 2018 for example:

Costs:
1) accreditation fee: 150 Euro
2) accommodation (single room) 145 Euro x 6 nights+/- = 870 euro
3) assuming player walked to the venue so not transport costs.
Total: 1020 euro

prize money to break even:
R16 singles: 1100 euro
makes 80 euro

now if player needs to cover coach expense:
1) say coach is very nice and coach for free: 0 Euro
2) accreditation + accommodation 1020 euro
3) coach and player walked together to the tournament - 0 transportation fee

so total cost is now 2040 Euro
QF price money is 2200 Euro
player makes 160 Euro

QF is 8 players x 2 (mens and womens), so total 16 players can break even
total entry at 290, so 5.5% players break even.

If you to factor in Coaches salary, transportation, extra costs etc, you need to be the winner or finalist to break even or make money

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Some government handout breast sukin jokers make more money for free without effort not working than hard working WR 75 players make...

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Thats why table tennis will never become big.
There is no money other than maybe 5 countries in the world.

Fukuhara AI made her millions because of her celebrity status, not by playing or from TT companies.
I earn more than Chuan Chih Yuan, and heck i'm in South Africa with a weak South African Rand (easily that European earns 2 times more than me), so your avg European employee with earn more than a top 10 player, who in Chuan's case is lucky to have a funder who will pay in salary on a monthly bases just to play table tennis (Co Op bank), should he retire, he can choose to continue as a coach or become a bank employee

 

[igorponger]

That sounds about right.

that is why players need to play in more than 1 club league - and the problem with ITTF enforcing the new world ranking, the players would be in even more burden to take part in near double more world tours than in 2017/2016 etc (majority of players took part in 5 or less world tours). Less than 10% of players took part in more than 6 or more. So imagine the extra burden (and costs) of international tournaments

Also to note, 99% of players in the world tour don't make money
Take Hungarian open 2018 for example:

Costs:
1) accreditation fee: 150 Euro
2) accommodation (single room) 145 Euro x 6 nights+/- = 870 euro
3) assuming player walked to the venue so not transport costs.
Total: 1020 euro

prize money to break even:
R16 singles: 1100 euro
makes 80 euro

now if player needs to cover coach expense:
1) say coach is very nice and coach for free: 0 Euro
2) accreditation + accommodation 1020 euro
3) coach and player walked together to the tournament - 0 transportation fee

so total cost is now 2040 Euro
QF price money is 2200 Euro
player makes 160 Euro

QF is 8 players x 2 (mens and womens), so total 16 players can break even
total entry at 290, so 5.5% players break even.

If you to factor in Coaches salary, transportation, extra costs etc, you need to be the winner or finalist to break even or make money

You also have to deduct tax from your prize money 20%. The tax is the headashe, indeed.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

You also have to deduct tax from your prize money 20%. The tax is the headashe, indeed.

I tried to keep the profit high by making lots of expense 0
but now i realise, prize money is in USD while my expense is in Euro

1USD = 0.8 Euro,
So 2200 USD prize money is only 1760 Euro
so sad...

 

[Simas]

I tried to keep the profit high by making lots of expense 0
but now i realise, prize money is in USD while my expense is in Euro

1USD = 0.8 Euro,
So 2200 USD prize money is only 1760 Euro
so sad...

Yes, very sad indeed.
So basically if you aren't in China or you are not in some top 20, you can't call yourself a Pro, because a Pro means that you are making a living from the sport

 

[Suga D]

Yes, very sad indeed.
So basically if you aren't in China or you are not in some top 20, you can't call yourself a Pro, because a Pro means that you are making a living from the sport

Not only that. In some sports it's usual to not only have an outcome with the income but instead make so much to secure a good life when the carreer is over.
I don't know how realistic this is with 30000 to 60000 a year. Without a good sponsorship i believe this is quite hard to achieve.

 

[Der_Echte]

You really need to be mens WR 50 or 75 or better to make a decent deal outta it. 1. Bundesliga TT team Oschenhausen brought in Ryu Seung Min, and I would wager a huge sum he didn't use his personal funds to fly there, get an apartment and furniture/appliances, just to play some table tennis. His wife, kids, and mother in law moved in there too for a year or two.

The team also had at the time Pitchford, who was just cracking into the WR 100. They brought him in too, and I would bet he didn't pay his way either.

Maybe even some 2nd division teams would make it at least somewhat a living wage if there was a common apt provided to live in.

Coach O (the one I made a thread about) has been in German a bit, I outta interview him to get that story from him along with some other aspects of foreigners in Germany living a TT life.

 

[Garrison]

It's not uncommon that clubs provide apartments for players, so you can live off 2k per month. But obviously they can't save up much for their post pro time. There are a lot of examples where players had the potential to go pro, but it is just better to play in 2nd-4th league with less training and make a bit of cash beside your main job. Erik Bottroff for example.

There are 3rd league clubs in Germany with big sponsors that pay 10k per season or even more.

 

[Der_Echte]

Yup Garrison, it isn't like such a player is gunna make the reality show Reich und Schoen, but it sure sounds like a living wage while they live the life of a regional or national TT pimp player.

 

[drunix80]

I had a chance to meet some Indian pros sometime back . They told each one of them had a secure job with Govt public sector like banks etc. While they are still playing their promotion would depend on their performances and they dont need to really attend work. Just concentrate on play. After retirement, they are like any other regular employee. Not bad. !!!

 

[guybr50]

I had a chance to meet some Indian pros sometime back . They told each one of them had a secure job with Govt public sector like banks etc. While they are still playing their promotion would depend on their performances and they dont need to really attend work. Just concentrate on play. After retirement, they are like any other regular employee. Not bad. !!!

but what interests the government has for them to play? Why would they ensure them a future work in return of playing? It's an interesting strategic for securing players future so they can focus on their training without worries

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