It may not be easy to determine exactly who the strongest man in the world is but if there is one person who has a serious claim to that title, it is Brian Shaw. A professional strongman competitor, Shaw began his athletic career as a basketballer. He subsequently took to weight training and soon developed a massive physique which enabled him to enter his first strongman competition in 2005.
It has been more than a decade since then and in that time, Shaw has won several editions of the world’s strongest man competition. He has also set numerous records along the way, including being the first man to win the World’s Strongest Man Competition and the Arnold Strongman Classic in the same year. Such impressive feats have come with price checks and endorsement deals, making it possible for Brian Shaw to accumulate a net worth of $1 million.
Sources of Brian Shaw’s $1 Million Net Worth
He Has Won the World’s Strongest Man Competition Four Times
A primary source of Brian Shaw’s net worth is prize winnings from his career as a strongman competitor. Ever since the American made his debut in 2005, he has gone on to establish himself as a dominant figure in the sport, winning multiple championships along the way.
To date, Shaw has won not less than four World’s Strongest Man competitions (2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016) and two Arnold Strongman Classic (2011 and 2015). He has also finished as a runner-up at these championships on multiple occasions, all of which has brought him a good measure of wealth.
For instance, winners of the Arnold Strongman Classic get a prize money of $72,000 while the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th finishers get $22,000, $17,000, and $12,000 respectively. From these figures, one can reasonably surmise that Brian Shaw has won about $500,000 in prize monies to date.
How Much Money Do You Get for Winning the World’s Strongest Man?
Being the world’s strongest man is not a walk in the park. You have to perform daring tasks such as hoisting 400lbs rocks; pulling 30-ton fire engines, or flipping 40lbs barrels. Of course, you are liable to sustain several injuries in the process. Given all this, one would expect that the monetary prize would be enormous but it is not so. Until recently, the highest prize that one can get for winning the world’s strongest man competition is the $72,000 on offer at the Arnold Strongman Classic.
Such levels of compensation are obviously unsatisfactory and are not commensurate with the hard work and all the food that competitors have to consume to get ready. This has made them call for better pay packages and it seems their calls have been heard. The 2019 edition of the World Ultimate Strongman featured a prize purse of $150,000 with $75,000 going to the winner. The total prize purse increased to $350,000 in 2020, the largest in strongman competition history.
Brian Stars in “The Strongest Man in History”
Another lucrative money-spinner for Brian Shaw’s net worth is reality TV. The renowned strongman is one of the stars of the History Channel series, The Strongest Man in History. In the show, Shaw and other professional strongman competitors travel around the world in order to take on the challenges that were supposedly surmounted by legendary strongmen such as Thor. Such challenges include pulling a 12,000lbs vintage Viking ship uphill or deadlifting a Ford Mustang.
The TV series debuted in July 2019 and there is no official statement on what the cast earns. It is however known that reality TV stars can make from $35,000 to as much as $1 million per episode depending on the popularity of their show. Given that The Strongest Man in History is relatively new, Shaw and his co-stars may earn from $50,000 to $100,000 per episode. The show has about eight episodes thus far giving a total of $400,000 to $800,000 in potential earnings.
The Strongman Has Endorsement Deals With Trifecta Nutrition, FitLife, and Swag & Valor
Being a four-time world’s strongest man comes with several perks and one of those is endorsement deals. Brian Shaw’s incredible achievements in his chosen sport mean that he is one of the most popular athletes in America and several brands have sought him out in order to benefit from his fame. The Colorado native has thus far scored sponsorship deals with companies such as Swag & Valor (a leading supplier of extra-large fashion apparel), Trifecta Nutrition (an all-organic meal delivery company), and FitLife Brand (marketer and manufacturer of innovative and proprietary nutritional supplements for health-conscious people).
These deals require Shaw to promote the companies’ products through advertising, public appearances, and endorsements at competitions. He also takes part in their digital and social media campaigns. The exact worth of these deals is not known but given their all-encompassing nature, it would be reasonable to estimate that Shaw’s pay will be in the six or seven-figure region.
Brian Shaw Is the CEO of ShawStrenght
Some of the strongman’s wealth came from his clothing line known as ShawStrenght. The brand features men’s, women’s, and children’s shirts. There are also hoodies, posters, lifting gear, etc.
ShawStrenght also encompasses a fitness program (Moms on a Mission) which is run by Shaw’s wife and targeted at mothers. The prices for the brand’s apparel range from $25.95 to $29 while the personalized fitness program goes for about $75 to $100, thus bringing in handsome revenue for the couple.
A Recap of How He Made His Money
- Prize winnings – $500,000 est.
- Reality TV – $400,000 – $800,000 est.
- Endorsement – N/A
- Apparel and Merch Line – N/A
How Brian Shaw’s Net Worth Grew Over the Years
Brian Shaw first began competing as a strongman in 2005 and turned pro a year later. In 2009, he won the 3rd prize at the World’s Strongest Man Competition, pocketing thousands of dollars as his compensation and building up his net worth as well. He would later win the 2011 Arnold Strongman Classic which meant a prize earning of $70,000.
Between 2013 and 2017, Shaw finished first at the world’s strongest man competition on three occasions, and once at the Arnold Strongman Classic. This helped him to hundred of thousands of dollars in prize monies and consequently, an increase in his net worth to the present million-dollar mark.
Since 2017, Shaw has not won either the World’s Strongest Man Competition or the Arnold Strongman Classic. He has however placed third on several occasions, pocketing thousands of dollars for himself as well.
A Look at His Prize Earnings
- 2009 – $17,000
- 2011 – $140, 000
- 2013 – $92,000
- 2014 – $17,000
- 2015 – $140,000
- 2016 – $70,000
- 2017 – $70,000
- 2018 – $39,000
The Four-Time World’s Strongest Man Completed His Mountain Home in 2020
Brian Shaw is not one for an ostentatious living but he has shelled out good money for important things such as his home, as well as his training gym. The famed strongman completed his new abode in July 2020 and gladly showed it off to fans. The massive home features two different master bedrooms, a giant kitchen, a giant bedroom, and of course a splendid gym.
The gym itself features several top-shelf training equipment and facilities. It is estimated that Shaw spent almost a million dollars to set it up. It has been suggested that he would be able to monetize it in the future and recoup some of the money spent on it.
Is Brian Shaw the Richest Strongman?
With a net worth of $1 million, Brian Shaw certainly ranks amongst the rich strongmen competitors but he is not the richest. That accolade goes to a British competitor and his very good friend, Eddie Hall.
Hall has been named the U.K.’s strongest man on multiple occasions. He has also achieved a similar feat at the England level and won the World’s Strongest Man Competition in 2017. Beyond the sport, Hall has also scored minor parts in some movies and TV series. All of these have helped him achieve a net worth of $5 million, making him the richest strongman in the world.
