American rock climber Alex Honnold said he was paid an “embarrassing” amount of money for free climbing one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world without ropes, a feat that was broadcast live as part of a Netflix event.
Honnold, 40, scaled the 1,667-foot Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan on Sunday during Netflix’s Skyscraper Live, completing the climb in just over 90 minutes. The ascent was done without ropes or protective gear and was aired with a brief delay.
In an interview with the New York Times after the climb, Honnold compared his compensation to what athletes in major professional sports earn.
“I’m not gonna say. It’s an embarrassing amount,” Honnold said. “Actually, if you put it in the context of mainstream sports, it’s an embarrassingly small amount. You know, Major League Baseball players get like $170 million contracts.”
“Like, someone you haven’t even heard of and that nobody cares about,” he added.
While Honnold declined to disclose the exact figure, he said his pay landed in the mid-six figures. He also said the money was not the motivating factor behind the climb.
“If there was no TV program and the building gave me permission to go do the thing,” Honnold said. “I would do the thing because I know I can, and it’d be amazing.”
The climb took place on the exterior of Taipei 101, a skyscraper known for its distinctive tiered design. Honnold climbed one corner of the building, using small L-shaped protrusions as footholds while maneuvering around large decorative structures.
The building’s most difficult section, known as the “bamboo boxes,” spans the middle 64 floors. Each of the eight segments features steep, overhanging sections followed by balconies where Honnold briefly rested before continuing upward.
The climb was originally scheduled for Saturday but was postponed by a day due to rain. When Honnold reached the top, he waved his arms over his head while standing near the spire.
“It was like what a view, it’s incredible, what a beautiful day,” he said afterward. “It was very windy, so I was like, don’t fall off the spire. I was trying to balance nicely.”
Honnold is best known for his ropeless climb of Yosemite’s El Capitan and later became the first climber to scale a 3,750-foot sheer cliff in Greenland alongside Hazel Findlay. Despite the risks involved, he said the Taipei climb offered a unique perspective.
Honnold, 40, scaled the 1,667-foot Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan on Sunday during Netflix’s Skyscraper Live, completing the climb in just over 90 minutes. The ascent was done without ropes or protective gear and was aired with a brief delay.
In an interview with the New York Times after the climb, Honnold compared his compensation to what athletes in major professional sports earn.
“I’m not gonna say. It’s an embarrassing amount,” Honnold said. “Actually, if you put it in the context of mainstream sports, it’s an embarrassingly small amount. You know, Major League Baseball players get like $170 million contracts.”
“Like, someone you haven’t even heard of and that nobody cares about,” he added.
While Honnold declined to disclose the exact figure, he said his pay landed in the mid-six figures. He also said the money was not the motivating factor behind the climb.
“If there was no TV program and the building gave me permission to go do the thing,” Honnold said. “I would do the thing because I know I can, and it’d be amazing.”
The climb took place on the exterior of Taipei 101, a skyscraper known for its distinctive tiered design. Honnold climbed one corner of the building, using small L-shaped protrusions as footholds while maneuvering around large decorative structures.
The building’s most difficult section, known as the “bamboo boxes,” spans the middle 64 floors. Each of the eight segments features steep, overhanging sections followed by balconies where Honnold briefly rested before continuing upward.
The climb was originally scheduled for Saturday but was postponed by a day due to rain. When Honnold reached the top, he waved his arms over his head while standing near the spire.
“It was like what a view, it’s incredible, what a beautiful day,” he said afterward. “It was very windy, so I was like, don’t fall off the spire. I was trying to balance nicely.”
Honnold is best known for his ropeless climb of Yosemite’s El Capitan and later became the first climber to scale a 3,750-foot sheer cliff in Greenland alongside Hazel Findlay. Despite the risks involved, he said the Taipei climb offered a unique perspective.
