Are those footballers billionaires who own their own clubs and control their revenue streams from royalties and merchandise?

If not then there's many differences.

You didn't name any specific players. There's plenty of lower ranked athletes playing in foreign leagues in part due to the poor treatment and low payment they receive from established outfits.

It seems the Singapore government had a confidentiality clause with AEG that obliged AEG to keep silent on the TS exclusivity clause.
AEG informed the Thai PM, presumably in confidence, and the latter went public with it. Presumably to save face with Thais who demanded to know why TS did not perform in BKK.
Now the Thai PM is saying he only went public to show his admiration for the Sing govt in getting the exclusivity deal. 555
AEG may now get sued by the Sing govt.
Safe to say the Thai PM will not be flavour of the month with either party. And if AEG are doing are any more TS tours in SEA, they will hardly be inclinded to include BKK.

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/g ... al-2374941