Shaun White’s Net Worth: How Did the ‘Flying Tomato’ Become One of the Highest-Paid Olympians of All Time?

Shaun White is an American professional snowboarder, skateboarder, actor, musician, and entrepreneur who is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and one of the highest-paid Olympians of all time. Known as “The Flying Tomato” for his thick mop of red hair, Shaun was also a media darling due to his gregarious personality. He climbed up the snowboarding ranks as a teen and quickly became the face of snowboarding in America. This comprehensive guide details Shaun White’s net worth, successful Olympic career, and other endeavors that have made him a multimillionaire. 

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What is Shaun White’s net worth?

According to several sources, Shaun White’s net worth is $65 million. 

Who is Shaun White?

Shaun Roger White is an American snowboarder who won three Olympic gold medals in the half-pipe snowboarding event in 2006, 2010, and 2018. He was born in San Diego, California, to parents Cathy, a waitress, and Roger, a former surfer who worked for a local water department. Shaun was born with a congenital heart defect, requiring two open-heart surgeries before age one. 

As a child, Shaun took many road trips with this family through the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, where they would stay in a van in resort parking lots. Shaun first got into skateboarding and snowboarding at the age of six at the Encinitas YMCA. The following year, he won his first snowboarding competition, quickly becoming a phenomenon on the amateur circuit. He claimed five national titles and turned professional at age 13. 

Going Pro

In 2000, Shaun made his Winter X Games debut and went on to win five slopestyle and superpipe titles. When Shaun was 15, he fell 0.3 point short of qualifying for the U.S. team for the 2002 Winter Olympics. He continued on the professional circuit for two more years until the next opportunity for the Olympics. 

By age 17, Shaun was also a professional skateboarder and won several titles, including the overall title of Action Sports Tour Champion. He was the first person to compete in and win both the Summer and Winter X Games in two different sports. Shaun qualified for the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics, winning the half-pipe in all five Grand Prix events determining team selection. 

During the Turin Winter Games, White earned his nickname “The Flying Tomato” thanks to his long red hair. He quickly became a media favorite. Although Shaun experienced a fall during his first qualifying run in the half-pipe event, his second run was flawless and earned him the highest qualifying score of the competition. He received a gold medal with a 46.8 score on his first run of the finals. 

Onto the Olympics

Returning to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Shaun took the gold medal again–this time with a final run featuring his signature move: two flips while completing three-and-a-half twists. He underperformed in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. In the 2018 Winter Olympics in P’yŏngch’ang, South Korea, Shaun won his third gold medal in the half-pipe event. His career ended at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing when he fell during his final half-pipe run, finishing fourth. After this disappointment, he soon announced his retirement. 

What are the sources of Shaun White’s income?

Although Shaun earned a significant chunk of his $65 million net worth from his snowboarding competition wins, he made even more through endorsements, sponsorships, merchandise sales, acting roles, and other earnings. 

Let’s take a closer look at how Shaun White became a multimillionaire. 

Endorsement Deals: $20 million

Shaun hit it big with lucrative endorsement deals, including:

• A 10-year multimillion-dollar contract with Burton Snowboards 
• Birdhouse Skateboards
• Park City Mountain Resort
• Red Bull
• Mountain Dew
• Celsius
• Krave Beef Jerky
• Masters workout app
• Target
• Oakley
• Hewlett-Packard
• Ubisoft
• Adio
• American Express

Snowboarding Competitions: $10 million

While Olympic athletes aren’t paid just for competing, winning medals leads to hefty rewards: Olympic medal bonuses. U.S. Olympians reportedly earn $37,500 for each gold medal, $22,500 for each silver medal, and $15,000 for each bronze. Shaun’s income from snowboarding competitions has made him the world’s richest snowboarder.

Merchandise Sales: $5 million

Although Shaun White retired from sports after the 2022 Olympics, his merchandise sales continue to contribute to his net worth. He also launched his new brand, Whitespace, in 2022. Whitespace features athletic clothing, outerwear, and gear, including a collection of snowboards and goggles. 

Film and Television Roles: $2 million

Shaun has made some cameo appearances as himself in a few shows and starred in two documentaries about his career. Here are the film and television roles that have contributed to his wealth:

• Cameo on Friends with Benefits (2011)
• Cameo on American Dad! (2013)
• Cameo on Cloud 9 (2014)
• Starring role in the documentary The White Album (2004)
• Starring role in the documentary First Descent (2005)
• Cameo on the reality TV show The Girls Next Door (2007)
• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2011)
• Cameo on Henry Danger (2018) 

Sponsorships worth about $10 million 

Shaun had a 10-year multimillion-dollar endorsement deal with Burton Snowboards, the longest endorsement deal in the history of the snowboarding sport. Other sponsors include: Birdhouse Skateboards, RedBull, Hewlett-Packard, Ubisoft, Target, Celsius, Mountain Dew, Adio, and American Express, and Oakley.

Although Shaun had a one-time endorsement deal with Oakley, they reportedly continued to use his likeness after the agreement expired in 2017. As a result, Shaun took legal action against the company. 

Other Earnings: $5 million

Shaun has several other ventures that have undoubtedly added to his net worth. Some of these money-making gigs include:

• Guitar player for electronic rock band Bad Things
• Music video appearance in “City of Angels” by Thirty Seconds to Mars
• Author of a chapter giving advice in Tim Ferriss’ book Tools of Titans
• Appearances in several video games
• Released his own video game, Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage, and the sequel, Shaun White Skateboarding, in 2010
• Purchased a minority stake in Mammoth Resorts in 2016 and is now part-owner of the Mammoth Mountain, Snow Summit, June Mountain, and Bear Mountain Ski areas
• Host and majority owner of the Air + Style festival of music and snowboarding since 2014

FAQs

How much is Shaun White’s net worth?

Shaun White has an estimated net worth of $65 million.

What are Shaun White’s main sources of income?

Shaun’s income made him a millionaire before he turned 20 years old. His primary sources of income include:

• Snowboarding competitions
• Endorsement deals
• Sponsorships
• Film and television roles
• Business ventures, including his stake in Mammoth Resorts and the Air + Style festival
• His new brand, Whitespace, which he launched in 2022

How many gold medals has Shaun White won?

Shaun White won three gold medals in half-pipe snowboarding. He took the gold in the 2006, 2010, and 2018 Winter Olympics.

What endorsement deals has Shaun White secured?

Shaun White’s endorsement deals have included Burton Snowboards, Birdhouse Skateboards, Red Bull, Target, Oakley, Hewlett-Packard, Celsius, Mountain Dew, Adio, and American Express, among many others. 

How successful have Shaun White’s snowboarding competitions been?

Shaun is a five-time Olympian, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and one of the highest-paid Olympians of all time. He also holds the world record for the most X Games gold medals and Olympic gold medals by any snowboarder. In addition, Shaun won 10 ESPY Awards in various categories. 

What movies and TV shows has Shaun White appeared in?

Shaun White has made several cameos and appearances on film and television. His appearances include Friends with Benefits (2011), American Dad! (2013), Cloud 9 (2014), The Girls Next Door (2007), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2011), and Henry Danger (2018). Shaun also starred as the subject of two documentaries: The White Album (2004) and First Descent (2005). 

Takeaway

Shaun White is a shining example of athletic success, and he leveraged his success to achieve financial freedom. Sure, we can’t all be Olympic snowboarders who are millionaires before the age of 20. 

But achieving transformational financial freedom is absolutely within your reach–even if you don’t have a lick of athletic ability! 

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