What is Nancy Kerrigan's Net Worth?

By Jayson Panganiban July 29, 2024 01:39

Photo by Erin Clark/Boston Globe

The name Nancy Kerrigan has been a staple of figure skating greatness for over 30 years. Kerrigan has had a shotgun career, from her Olympic medal-winning performances to her role in one of the most famous sports scandals ever committed.

Childhood, Family, and Upbringing

Figure skating was second nature to Nancy Kerrigan from a young age. At eight, she began private lessons with her father, a welder who picked up extra shifts so his fifth-grade daughter could keep skating. At only nine years old, Kerrigan's competitive spirit became clear not long after when she won her first major competition, the Boston Open.

Kerrigan had matured as a figure skater over the years. She finished fourth in the junior competition at that year's U.S. Championships: this was her first step to national prominence as she started repeating for gold every year.

Olympic medals & World Championships

Kerrigan made her way to a breakthrough in the early 1990s when she constantly ranked among the top skaters in the United States. At the 1991 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, she placed third and then won a bronze medal at the World Systems Championships, which had an American sweep with Jill Trenary to be paid gold or Tonya Harding sterling silver.

Kerrigan followed that up in 1992 by winning a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, and later taking silver from the World Championships. Following the 1992 season, Yamaguchi retired from amateur competition, and when combined with Harding's failure to qualify internationally due to her incompetence in Paris-Bercy at that year's World Championships, Kerrigan seized the U.S. Figure Skating Championship title in a poorly skated event for herself on February 5-7, 1993.

Tonya Harding Attack and Aftermath

In January 1994, Kerrigan became one of the most prominent athletes in figure skating history after an attack that was not only arranged by her rival Tonya Harding, but is also described as a defining moment in her career. The incident, which resulted in Kerrigan going down with an injured knee that only left her bruised and not seriously hurt, made headlines around the globe, becoming one of the biggest scandals of its time.

Kerrigan explained that although the attack was life-changing, her net worth and standing potential were positively affected. The publicity surrounding the scandal generated increased media attention and public interest; it eventually led to lucrative endorsement deals and television specials, earning far more than she might ever earn from professional figure skating.

Career Earnings And Sponsorship

Her most significant income source was winning competitions and touring ice shows such as Stars on Ice. While the specifics have never been revealed to the public, she made a considerable amount of prize money from her treasured Olympic medals throughout her career.

Outside of her prize-winning work, Kerrigan's renown and popularity led to a number of endorsement deals with top corporations. Reebok and Campbell's Soup were among the companies that appreciated her potential as a marketer and offered Kerrigan hefty endorsement dollars.

Television and acting career

She did a lot of TV, especially in her post-skating years. Nancy has been featured on shows like "Dancing with the Stars" and appeared as a guest star on sitcoms such as "Boy Meets World." On top of that, Kerrigan boasted some acting experience on the big screen, starring Will Ferrell in the 2007 comedy film "Blades of Glory." Her acting may have been sparse but bolstered her wide income range.

Current Net Worth and Comparison

Nancy Kerrigan's net worth is around $10 million today. She is, therefore, one of the world's wealthiest figure skaters and earns more money than other notables like Tonya Harding, Kristi Yamaguchi, or Brian Boitano.

Kerrigan's net worth proves that she has been incredibly successful both on and off the ice. Using her reputation, fame, and popularity to full effect, coupled with financial prudence, has kept her living in the lap of luxury for a long time.