Once the reserve of celebrities and the super-rich, yachts and luxury charters are fast becoming the preferred choice for elite athletes, looking for rest, relaxation, and most importantly, privacy with the water around Mallorca being a top spot. But which sports stars boast the most impressive vessels? Here, Mike Green, CEO of Boats For Sale has ranked the most expensive yachts owned by celebrity athletes today.
Appearing first on the list is boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his behemoth superyacht, reported to have set the 15-time world champion back a knockout $200m.
Although little is known about the vessel itself, it is thought to be complete with several bedrooms, a cinema room, and a sizeable swimming pool.
In 2023, Mayweather provided insight into his life on the superyacht while visiting Miami by sharing a series of snaps on Instagram.
The photos show the boxing champ basking in the sunshine on the deck of his luxurious craft along with a box of cigars, personalised with “TM”, the initials of the fighter’s nickname “The Money”.
The caption read, “I’m the Yacht Master and I ain’t talking about a Rolex” [sic].
Featuring second on the list is basketball icon Michael Jordan who owns, not one, not two, but three luxurious boats. His Airness’s most expensive vessel is a 230ft custom superyacht named Joy, which set the former Chicago Bulls player back a cool $80 million in 2016.
With eight luxurious bedrooms connected by a glass elevator, Jordan’s yacht can host up to 12 guests with multiple entertainment options, including a full bar, state-of-the-art gym, on-deck jacuzzi, and even a basketball court, so the former champion can stay on top of his game.
No wonder monthly maintenance costs can reach up to $800,000 per week when being chartered!
The second ship in MJ’s fleet is the creatively named Mr Terrible, which reportedly cost $21 million in 2022. Despite being much smaller than Joy, the vessel comfortably hosts six guests in three luxury suites and boasts plenty of space with split-level living spaces and decadent interiors.
Jordan’s third boat is a Viking sportfish named Catch 32, priced at $7 million.
The 80ft sportfishing boat can reach speeds up to 40 knots (46 mph) and has been entered into several professional fishing competitions, most recently the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in North Carolina.
Athletes with the most expensive boats
Golfing superstar Tiger Woods appears next in the ranking with his custom yacht Privacy, purchased at the height of his fame in 2004.
At 155ft, Privacy is classed as a superyacht, boasting a host of luxury features from an on-deck jacuzzi, a gym and even an inflatable decompression chamber for diving.
Woods is a keen diver and reportedly spent a week in 2009 at Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina where he went through Special Forces training with the Marines to become a master scuba diver.