Olympian Shaun White may have added some gold to his collection Tuesday night, but he’s got plenty of green to his name as well.
White is the wealthiest of the U.S. Olympians competing in the winter games this year, with some estimates putting his total net worth at $40 million. Even with bonuses from the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) for his performance at the PyeongChang Olympics, it’s hard to make that sort of coin riding a snowboard. Here’s how White has amassed such a fortune.
Endorsement deals
White’s not afraid to lean on the power of the celebrity status he has built since his Olympic debut in 2006. In 2008, he signed a 10-year endorsement deal with Burton Snowboards. That same year he began a relationship with video game publisher Ubisoft for Shaun White Snowboarding, which went on to become a minor franchise.
He also has worked with Oakley sunglasses, Target, Red Bull, and Hewlett-Packard.
His win this year could boost his endorsement value, but White might have hurt himself by dragging the U.S. flag on the ground after winning Tuesday night. Sexual harassment allegations against the Olympian, which first arose in 2016, have also come back into the spotlight during the winter games.
Real estate
Using the millions he has made from leveraging his name, White has invested heavily in the real estate market, selling several properties last year to make a pretty penny.
In 2017, White sold a four-bedroom house in Carlsbad, Calif. for $1.1 million, according to Variety. He also offloaded an oceanfront home in Encinitas, Calif. for $7.8 million. And a Hollywood Hills domicile (bought for $6.4 million in 2015) was sold to Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec for $6.7 million.
In December, he purchased a $1.6 million, 1,200 square foot house in Los Angeles.
White also owns a condo in Park City, Utah and a penthouse in New York City’s East Village, bought in 2008 for $1.9 million, according to Variety. He tried to sell his Manhattan property earlier in 2017 for $2.8 million, but changed his mind and decided to keep the penthouse.
He also owns two side-by-side properties in Malibu. The first was purchased in 2013 for $8.9 million. Three years later he bought the place next door for $10.8 million.
Ski resorts
In 2016, White took a minority stake in the company that runs Mammoth Mountain, Snow Summit, and Bear Mountain, the California resorts where he prefers to train. Rather than being an investor in name only, he said that he plans to be actively involved in the development and operations of the resorts.
Olympic gold
White will also bring home some cash along with his gold medal this year. The USOC will award him $37,500 (tax free, thanks to Sen. Chuck Schumer) for his win in the men’s halfpipe event.
Other interests
White is also the partial owner of the Air + Style music and sports festival and founded the WHT Space clothing line, though that venture seems to have gone south.
