Athletes often live the kind of life many people dream about—fame, big income, adoring fans, and more perks than most could imagine. From million-dollar contracts to public admiration, it seems like the ultimate success story. But what happens when the final whistle blows? That’s when things get real.

Short Careers, Long Lives

Professional sport might look like a golden ticket, but behind the scenes, the careers are shorter than you’d expect. The numbers paint a pretty shocking picture:

  • NFL: Average career is just 3.3 years
  • NBA: Average career stretches to 4.5 years
  • NRL (Australia): The average is only 75 games

To put that into perspective, an NRLW season has 26 rounds plus finals. So 75 games? That’s not a long run at all.

The reality is, athletes can go from massive paydays to nothing—and it can happen fast.

From The Field… To the Bottle-O?

Back in 2018, one of the guest speakers at the Property Summit shared a story that really hit home. He was a former NRL player—the only person from his family to play for the Raiders, the Warriors, and the Cowboys. A true professional.

But after hanging up the boots, his next stop wasn’t coaching or media. It was working at a bottle shop in Townsville.

One day, a fan walked in, recognised him, and said, “Mate! What are you doing here?”

To save face, the former player smiled and replied, “Yeah, thinking of buying the place.” But he wasn’t. That wasn’t part of some grand business plan. That was his income cliff—when the steady stream of NRL income stopped cold.

The Wealth Game: A New Game Plan

That’s why the work being done today to support athletes is so important—and exciting. There’s now a team focused on helping current NRL players plan ahead and play what we call the wealth game.

So what’s the plan?

It’s about shifting the mindset before the game is over. The goal is simple: replace sporting income with asset-based income. These players are encouraged to invest while they’re still earning—buying assets that can generate cash flow long after their final game.

We’ve seen students (including NRL players) build up to $33,000 a month in passive income. That’s solid. But here’s the catch: the more you earn, the easier it is to spend. So without discipline, that money disappears just as fast.

No Income Cliff. Just Climbing Higher

When athletes understand the power of investing—buying property, building assets, and creating long-term income—they’re no longer bound by the short timelines of professional sport. They’re not just making money. They’re building wealth.

That’s the game we want more players to win. Because fame fades. Cheques stop. But with the right plan, the money doesn’t have to.

Want to play the wealth game like the pros?

Reach out to Teach Me About Property and find out how to turn today’s income into long-term financial freedom. Don’t wait for the whistle—act now.