11 July 2008

Greg Norman's Divorce Payout

Celebrity divorces are no different from any other divorce on the sadness stakes the only difference is the size of the numbers being bandied about for settlement. There are a couple of divorces in the pipeline that might see some big numbers being thrown around such as Alex Rodriguez of New York Yankees fame. A-Rod as he is affectionately know just inked a 10-year USD 275 million deal which is unlikely to be protected by any pre-nuptial agreement.

It would seem that his alleged philandering ways and an inability to reconcile with his wife means that a drawn out ding dong battle is looming. He has two kids one is a three years old and the other is a mere 3 months old. This will be certainly one to watch.

However, this is not a piece about A-Rod but rather one of my favourite under-achieving in the majors golfers, Greg Norman. Although Norman did end up winning a couple of British Opens, the man who dominated the game should have won at least half a dozen more but seemed to be afflicted by that perennial choking disease and ended up throwing some excellent chances away. He was still a great golfer all the same.

Anyways, it seems that his ding dong divorce battle has ended up costing him a payout to the ex of some USD 100 million and a guaranteed payout to his two kids of about USD 103 million and the all important trophies on his death.

This is just the making public of the terms of the settlement. Greg Norman has since remarried. The Shark has recently married the former tennis star and now legend, Chris Evert.

The divorce battle was messy and included acrimonious public court filings and personal spats such as changing the locks on family homes to keep the other one out. All child like but nevertheless a good read for those of us looking to humour ourselves on the suffering of the rich and famous.

One of the filings included Norman's lawyers claiming that the wife was entitled to much less because she did not teach the husband how to swing a golf club or how to win. This is a line that A-Rod might want to consider. After all A-Rod has been considered a star since he was 15 years old. This is way before he met his wife.

When it is all said and done the payout to his former wife amounts to less than 1/4 of Greg Norman's estimated wealth which sits around USD 500+ million. Some men out there would think that he has done well.

Laura Andrassy, the wife, ended up getting:

1. a cash payment of USD 50 million;
2. 500K in jewellery;
3. Range Rover;
4. paintings, furniture, Christmas decorations, and other valuables;
5. USD 30.2 million distributed over the next 15 years;
6. USD 21.5 million from the sale of family homes; and
7. USD 466K from a retirement account.

14 comments:

Rob Baiton said...

Cannot be bothered adding a postscript, so a comment instead.

The wife probably deserves it after 25 years of marriage!

She might have been a flight attendant in her past life but that is hardly reason enough to limit any payout.

I am sure the constant travelling that the gruelling world of golf demands was a hassle and a bore at times.

Such is life...

Finally Woken said...

Norman's lawyer must have gotten a tip from Paul McCartney's. Although having said that, McCartney's ex was hated by the entire nation, plus she's not a flight attendant, although might have posed as one in a skimpy suit in the past. How about Norman's ex?

Rob Baiton said...

Hey You...

I have been reading around the blogs that you have some kind of slugfest going on!

Maybe he did get a tip from Sir Paul's lawyers. Nah, I do not think the wife was hated by the nation. I think the reality is that most people have heard very little about her and I would suspect that if I posted a photo of her most people would not recognize her.

I am guessing she kept a low profile and the fact that she was not in the news until the divorce means that there were no skeletons in the closet. I am guessing she was the good wife.

Hence, my comment that she probably deserved it. She might not have taught the bloke how to swing a club or how to be a champion.

However, she was there through 25 years no matter whether it was good or bad, winning or losing, for me that has to count for something!

Even know that it was less than 25% of the total value, the fact that she settled suggests that this was teh best she could conceivably do or she was satisfied with the offer.

BTW...do they do jelly or mud wrestling at the Cazbar?

Finally Woken said...

Rob,
your radar is working! Yeah, it was a fun night that day, but it's good that now I know what's going on exactly. Insinuating and implying don't work for me, and the poor person had been doing that for more than 3 days, badmouthing on other blogs, trying to grab my attention, whilst I had no idea at all! Oh well, that's life, you can't please everybody.

Re. the wrestling, afraid to say that I haven't heard about it at all. But feel free to let Jasper know your idea, he might do it!

Rob Baiton said...

Apologies on the typos (even know should be even though and teh should be the)...

Anita...

The slugfest is all a bit strange to me but I guess when people take offence they can get pretty wound up.

Maybe I will have to suggest the mud or jelly wrestling. If nothing else the mere thought of it should peak the interest of the FPI and others :D

Unknown said...

Just goes to show Sharks can get bitten too!!!!!!

Rob Baiton said...

GJ...

That is very witty!

This is what I would call a love bite as opposed to being bitten. It will hurt and leave a mark but it goes away after a while.

Unknown said...

Nay this is a hate bite now. It leaves a huge hole in the bank account, but you are right will disappear with time.

Rob Baiton said...

Hate is always such a strong word with such negative connotations.

Unknown said...

Not really in situations like this the worst outcome is definately indifference. At least with hate there is still emotions at work as opposed to indifference when all is lost for an future relationship/dialogue etc.

Unknown said...

Oop this is my opinion only!!!

Rob Baiton said...

GJ...

An opinion that you are entitled to have!

I guess when you look at it that way, indifference vs. hate, I can see the logic.

Viagra Online said...

I think the difference of celebrity divorces from other divorces is the juicy amount of money that the guy has to share with the woman, I mean after a court of law approves that.

Rob Baiton said...

@ Viagra Online...

Agreed! And, that we enjoy reading about other people's misery. There are probably a lot of people having a chuckle at the amount of money that Elin Nordegren is going to end up with after divorcing Tiger Woods.

Funny old world in which we live.