The 10 Most Expensive Sports Divorces of All Time

It is a sad statistic that, in every 13 seconds, at least one couple files divorce in the USA. Moreover, half of all American marriages last for eight years and end up in divorce or separation. Among the millions of separations, only the celebrities or sports persons’ divorces are what we have an interest in as millions of sums of money are involved in it. Many sports stars had to make enormous checks on their exes.

Professional athletes as well as celebrities live their lives in a fishbowl as the media and fans always privy to their greatest achievements, intimate moments, even their worst days. Further, the paparazzi industry is there to spread the news and rumor to the public. With the availability of social media and tabloids, nothing remains secret anymore. With all of that in mind, we have listed the 10 biggest divorce settlements in sports.

#10. Mike Tyson & Robin Givens

Heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson’s relationship with actress Robin Givens looks like an odd pairing from the beginning. However, they married in 1988 after being dated for only eight months. Like their marriage, the couple’s divorce was escalated quickly too. Their rapid romance ended after 11 months when Givens filed for divorce on 1989’s valentine’s day, claiming Tyson’s domestic violence.

This short marriage cost Tyson about $10 million. After that short marriage, Tyson has been involved with more than ten women, but he got settled down with Lakisha Spicer. The couple has been happily married for 12 years.

#9. Neon Deion & Pilar Sanders

In his prime-time, Neon Deion could spark the football field like other top-notch footballers. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the same energy in his marriage life. Deion married Pilar Sanders for 12 years and decided to get separated in 2011. Their marriage contract finally dissolved in 2013.

However, before taking the final decision, the couple took time to resolve the conflicts, but it did not work out. They had to have a fight in the court to settle things up. Further, the court ordered that all marital property be divided equally. Moreover, Deion was ordered to pay Sanders $100,000 for each year they were married. However, Deion won the custody of their three children, while Pilar won the visiting rights only. After the divorce, Neon Deion has been in a relationship with Tracey Edmonds since 2012.

#8. Hulk & Linda Hogan

Hulk Hogan and Linda were some of the sweetest celebrity couples in the USA, perhaps around the world. They were married for 25 years before Linda filed for divorce in 2009, claiming Hulk’s relation with his daughter’s best friend, Christiane Plante. Terry Bollea, known as Hulk Hogan, did not oppose the claim and Plante confirmed their relationship in an interview.

Further, Hulk Hogan agreed to pay 70% of the couple’s liquid assets, which was approximately $7.44 million. Moreover, Linda also received 40% ownership of Hulk’s company and property settlement amount of $3 million. The only thing Hulk could save was alimony.

Reportedly Hogan had relationships with another woman Heather Cole. However, Hulk Hogan got married again in 2010 to Jennifer McDaniel.

#7. Nick Faldo & Valerie Bercher

Former No. 1 golfer Nick Faldo had married and divorced three times. However, his last divorce with Valerie Bercher cost him his fortune. He got married to Valerie in 2001 but their marriage lasted only five years. The reason behind the separation was reported Valerie’s “high maintenance” attitude as well as her unwillingness to play second fiddle to Nick.

Nevertheless, whatever the reason, Faldo had to pay a sum of $11.8 million. It was also reported that Valerie broke Nick’s $320,000 Porsche as well as damaged $16,000 worth of items. The couple has a daughter together.

#6. Alex Rodriguez & Cynthia Scurtis

Former New York Yankee star Alex Rodriguez had gone through a devastating divorce. Rodriguez and Scurtis got married in 2002, but Scurtis filed a divorce in 2008 due to “emotional abandonment” as well as the absence of loyalty from Rodriguez’s side. According to the divorce document published in Seattle Times, “The marriage of the parties is irretrievably broken because of the husband’s extramarital affairs and other marital misconduct.”

However, Rodriguez had to pay a large amount of money to settle this divorce. As a part of the private negotiation, it was reported that Scurtis wanted child support, alimony, and their $12 million waterfront mansion. But the couple settled on $115,000 a month for a decade, which summed up to $13.8 million.

Later, Alex Rodriguez has dated several celebrities such as Cameron Diaz and WWE star Torrie Wilson. It appeared he finally settled with singer Jennifer Lopez as he proposed to her after dating two years.

#5. Lance Armstrong & Kristin Richard

With seven back-to-back Tour de France winners, Lance Armstrong was one of the most inspirational sports person in the world. Armstrong met Kristen Richard after one year of his treatment with cancer, and the couple got married soon after. However, Armstrong changed his mind after sox year and decided to dump his wife for singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow.

However, Lance Armstrong had to pay $14 million in settlement to Kristin. The couple got divorced in 2003. Nevertheless, Armstrong and Sheryl were together for almost three years, and the pair broke up in early 2006. Armstrong has been engaged to Anna Hansen since 2008, and the couple has two children together.

#4. Michael Strahan & Jean Muggli

Former New York Giant Defensive end Michael Strahan’s marriage to Jean Muggli was considered a “fairy tale” marriage. However, their ending was miserable, as the marriage lasted for seven years. Then NFL star files for a divorce, complaining about his wife’s abusive behaviors towards his twin children. However, the case backfired, and Michael had to settle the divorce for $15.3 million and $18,000/month for child support.

However, the amount for child support was reduced to $13,000/month after Strahan’s retirement. It was Strahan’s second divorce. Previously he was married to interior designer Wanda Hutchins for four years until 1996. After the second divorce, GMA’s host was engaged to Nicole Mitchell for five years. Currently, he has been in a relationship with Kayla Quick since 2015.

#3. Tiger Woods & Elin Nordegren

National Enquirer’s report on Tiger Wood’s affair with Rachel Uchitel stunned everyone in 2009. However, it was also reported that Woods also had a relationship with other women too. Due to the former No 1 golfer’s cheating, his wife filed for a divorce in 2010, and the separation got settled for $110 million. Their marriage lasted for six years. The couple had two children together. However, the divorce contract allowed them to share custody of their two children. Further, Tiger realized his actions and said, “I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself.”

After the Tiger Woods cheating scandal, it was published that he was involved with several women, including Jamie Jungers, Cori Rist, and Jaimee Grubbs, before his divorce. Following the break of his marriage, the Golfer found love again, and this time it was with Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. However, their relationship lasted for nearly three years. After that, Woods dated Kristin Smith until 2017. He is currently in a relationship with Erica Herman.

#2. Greg Norman & Laura Andrassy

The divorce case between the former number one golfer Greg Norman and his then-wife Laura Andrassy shocked the sports world in 2006. The couple had spent 26 years together before they filed for a divorce. It was the most expensive in Australia and in the history of the sport. The settlement cost Norman $103 million, slicing his $300 million fortune.

However, Andrassy and Norman did now publish any reason for their divorce. But Andrassy claimed that the Golfer had an affair with his current wife, Kirsten Kutner. After their divorce, Norman got married to World No. 1 tennis player Chris Evert in June 2008. However, their marriage lasts for 15 months.

Nevertheless, two divorces did not stop Norman from believing in marriage, and they married again to interior designer Kirsten Kutner in November 2010.

#1. Michael Jordan & Juanita Vanoy

After being married for 17 years Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy filed for a divorce in 2002. However, the couple tried to adjust the differences for four years before they decided to end their marriage. The Jordan couple divorced in 2006, which is the biggest divorce settlement in the sport’s history, worth $168 million. Besides, Jordan had to pay his ex’s legal fee of $2.1 million.

As for the divorce’s reason, the couple did not show any specific reason. Instead, they cited ‘irreconcilable differences.’ However, the media and tabloids had tried to find what went wrong between them, but they were clueless. But, according to a Chicago Tribune report, private investigator Ernie Rizzo had observed Michael Jordan cheating on Juanita Vanoy. However, the couple never gave importance to that claim, and neither commented on the issue.

The couple still talks to each other mostly about their children, Vanoy mentioned once in an interview with Chicago Business. Jordan had three children Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine, with his ex-wife Juanita Vanoy. MJ got married again in 2013 to Yvette Prieto, and the couple has two daughters.

From this list, it is evident that one small mistake can cost you millions, especially if you are a celebrity with millions of dollars of earnings.