Overall, Thompson sees Lee and her teammates' decision to attend college a win-win for both brands and the athletes. "There's a pro league for gymnastics, it's just endorsements," Jeff Graba said. All rights reserved.The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Leaders Group. Gold medallist Sunisa Lee of the United States poses on the podium after winning the Women's Individual All-Around, July 29, 2021, in Tokyo. "Supporting these athletes gives us a chance to connect with members in a new way, support students and rally behind many under-represented collegiate sports," Sam's Club chief merchant Megan Crozier said in a statement. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Before her arrival to Auburn for the 2022 season, she was a seven-time U.S. National Team member. Her name will get bigger, and with it will come an untold number of opportunities to cash in on her Olympic glory. Not only did she fill up SEC gyms, she also signed endorsement deals with Amazon, Gatorade, Target, Invisalign and CLIF Bar. Family and friends react as Sunisa Lee wins the gold medal in the womens gymnastics all-around. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. No outlets have reported a figure for Suni, but judging by her past and present medal wins, it is clear that she has a sizable income through her sport. Access to easy-to-read digital editions of weekly issues. She is the first American of Hmong descent to medal at the Olympics. But beyond their competitive success, both Lee and Dressel fit the mold of what Delpy Neirotti calls the ideal Olympian, with brands naturally gravitating to athletes who demonstrate humility, graciousness and family values. Lee will participate in the uneven bars final Sunday, followed by the balance beam final Tuesday. Back then, however, things were different. Rick Burton, Syracuse University professor and former chief marketing officer of the USOPC, also puts Lees immediate earnings in the million dollar range. With Lee still being a teenager, Dorfman could see sponsorships targeting younger demographics, like snack foods, pizza or fast-food restaurants. Gymnasts had to choose between accepting endorsements or college scholarships. Medalist Lee, in turn, could earn $6,403 per Instagram post; grappler Steveson, $1,321 per post; and Pippen Jr. $1,014 per post. Plugging a product or service on social media is just one way college athletes have begun cashing in. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. One of our team members will be happy to provide pricing guidance . . That face is changing because new NCAA rules now allow college athletes to monetize their names, images and likenesses, or NIL, as the fast-emerging asset is known. Yet she is looking forward to the chance to bring some balance to her life. All rights reserved (About Us). Hence, with all that in place, she could be making $100,000 in a jiffy. But its a sport and an athlete that performed under incredible pressure, especially given everything thats happened leading up to this. / MoneyWatch. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. The gymnasts will continue to have a presence on TV and streaming services through collegiate conference networks, staying relevant with the viewers and brands, Thompson says. I want to be able to do everything. Now she actually gets that shot.. She is the favorite to win gold on bars, which is her best event, and she is expected to vie for a medal on beam as well, with Graba saying she is fully capable of gold.. Lee, who signed with Auburn back in March, is expected to enroll in classes this fall and compete for the Tigers the next several years. Other more traditional Olympics sponsors, like Procter and Gamble or the Coca-Cola Company and their family of brands (Coke now owns Core Power through its acquisition of the protein shakes owner, Fairlife LLC), could also be in Lees future. Lee, who signed with Auburn back in March, is expected to enroll in classes this fall. In the wake of her four-gold-medal performance at the Olympic Games in Rio, Biles built a robust sponsorship portfolio. For Sunisa "Suni" Lee and Caeleb Dressel, two of the Tokyo Olympics' breakout stars, the road to Paris 2024 is paved with riches. Posts. Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone. Timely, daily updates provide the latest developments and news relied upon by industry leaders. Whatever comes along, however, she expects to compete for the Tigers next season. Deals Money Gifts Travel . Team USA Gymnast Sunisa Suni Lee took home the gold medal in the all-around competition at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games on Wednesday, July 28. Olympic athletes are paid $37,500 per gold medal, $22,500 per silver medal and $15,000 per bronze medal, according to a 2018 report from CNBC. All rights reserved. She earned $75,000 in earnings from Tokyo with her medal victories. SPACs: What a Special Purpose Acquisition Company Means for Sports. I dont think it was too challenging, especially when you look around the league and see most teams are still rewarding their top players, CAA Sports Patrick Collins told SBJ. With each Olympic federation interpreting the provision in its own way, there are regulatory questions that need to be sorted out. Please enter valid email address to continue. She entered the Olympics as the Auburn athlete with the most reach across social media platforms with 198,000-plus Instagram followers and 19,500-plus Twitter followers as of July 1, when NIL changes went into effect and those numbers have skyrocketed since the start of the Summer Games. What a winner! Action Network based its figures off of an estimate of $0.004 per Instagram post, per follower, which the platform says is the average price the typical social media influencer earns for brand deals with consumer goods and service companies. Under the new version of Rule 40, she can. She could be the face of the Paris games if she sticks around. Its all great for her right now.. She introduced herself to the world as one of the faces of USA gymnastics, right up there with all-time great Simone Biles, and in that moment as she glanced down at that hard-earned gold draped around her neck she also became the new face of the NIL era of college athletics. Team USA gymnast Sunisa Lee took home the gold medal in the women's all-around on Thursday, a victory that some marketers say could come with a seven-figure financial windfall for the 18-year-old. Sensation Suni Lee Recalls Fighting a Soul-Crushing Syndrome, US Olympic Gold Medalist Suni Lee Breaks Silence on Paris Olympics 2024, Makes a Contact All American Speakers Bureau to book the best keynote speaker for your next live or virtual event. If the stars align. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google. They didn't in the hours after her steady, poised performance on floor exercise helped her soar to the top of the podium. She's getting a bit of a crash course on the finer points of the rules surrounding NLI. Flight + Hotel (+Car/Transfers) Flight + Car. I just didnt want to see myself fall back, she told Elle at the time. Life & Style has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. She won three Olympic medals during her first-ever games at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, clinching one gold, silver, and . YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Its all good. She hasn't ruled out trying to do both collegiate and elite gymnastics at the same time. Her sister Lees married name is Smith. American gold medalist Sunisa Lee and college basketball star Shareef O'Neal, son of L.A. Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal, sit atop a list of 30 athletes who sports-betting analytics firm Action Network believes could rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars based on their social media reach alone. Already a subscriber? Lees NIL earnings potential was already high before her star turn Thursday in Tokyo. Lees win in the all-around could be leveraged for as much as $10 million over the young athletes lifetime, Burton said. LOWER NFL REVENUE NOT A FACTOR IN ALLEN DEAL: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allens six-year, $258 million deal demonstrates both the players and the teams commitment to winning a Super Bowl and wasnt that difficult to complete, despite the pandemic compressing NFL revenue last year, his agent said last week. The news, analysis and community conversation found here is funded by donations from individuals. Awards, accolades, endorsement deals and sustained celebrity followed. Sunisa Lee's life changed the second she placed a gold medal around her neck. She is America's sweetheart," Thompson says. In advance of the Tokyo Games, the IOC introduced a relaxed version of Rule 40, a provision that protects the Games exclusivity and intellectual property for official Olympic sponsors by limiting other non-sponsor brands from getting involved. Furthermore, she won two more medals in Tokyo to the delight of most fans. It remains to be seen what kind of endorsements Lee will cash in on, but the 18-year-old will have no shortage of options to take advantage of. Lee partnered Sasha Farber and showed promise in the competition, only to finish fifth in the end. Fellow Two Time Olympic Gold Medalist. Thats not to discount Michael Phelps and some of the other great athletes that have been a part of the Olympics, but I anticipate that she will become very visible and very popular. Her abilities as a gymnast, especially her bar routine, are incredible, the Russian-born athlete told the outlet. House is represented by agent Kent Matthes, who joined WME from CAA last December and negotiated an above-slot deal with the Nationals. Even without additional gold medals in Tokyo, though, Dorfman believes Lees endorsement potential could rival what Biles made in the wake of the 2016 Olympics based solely off her performance in the all-around and the nature of the sport, with the athletes not hidden behind masks or headgear, making them more recognizable to consumers. tgt.biz/Suni_TargetStorefront_Jan. Its way more complicated than that, Feldman says. In fact, even Sunis gymnastics hero, Nastia Liukin who is a five-time Olympic medalist herself saw greatness in her. women's gymnastics championship is traditionally a. In the past few months, several players have become the highest paid at their respective positions and on top of that I think the leagues record-setting media rights deals this offseason show how strong the future of the NFL will be.. But now they can work directly with the athlete they want without making a massive investment in the entire collegiate program. Thompson echoed many of the same sentiments, adding that perhaps joining Biles on her sponsor-supported, post-Tokyo Gold Over America Tour could put Lee to an even stronger earning position. You become the face of the sport, raking in sponsorship deals. Lee didnt flinch under the pressure, turning in the performance of a lifetime with a total score of 57.433 to hold of Brazils Rebeca Andrade for the gold. After Biles won the all-around gold medal in the 2016 Olympics one of four golds she took home that summer she reportedly earned more than $4 million in endorsement deals. S&S is based in Boston and is a boutique agency that counts Olympians, personalities, influencers and chefs as clients. Neither the O'Neal brothers, nor Lee nor Steveson have publicly announced any sponsorship deals so far. ICE Limitations. The latter is probably out of the question for Lee, since Auburn is an Under Armour program, but according to Dorfman, a number of options should be on the table for her, from performance-based products like Gatorade, to exercise equipment, to fashion brands or haircare and grooming products, like Dove or Revlon. allow college athletes to strike deals with brands that use their name, image and likeness. Auburn's Sunisa Lee is at the top of her game in the gymnastics world, but that doesn't just go for performance.. A new ranking by On3 detailed the top 10 highest-paid women athletes by NIL in the college landscape, and Lee clocked in at No. I cover the intersection of sports, business and technology. Christina Aguileras Best Swimsuit Pictures, Scheana Shay: Why Husband Brock Took a Step Back From 'Pump Rules', VPRs Scheana Never Meant to Hurt Katie With Raquel, Tom Hookup, VPR's Raquel Leviss Reflects on Posting 'Polarizing' Tom Schwartz Photo, Why Love Is Blind's Deepti Is 'Not Ready' for a 'Serious Relationship', Summer House's Paige Explains Why Long Distance Works For Her and Craig, Summer Houses Carl, Lindsay Are Ready for Marriage, Babies, Jodie Woods Skipped Awkward Phase, Sister Jordyn Reveals, Jordyn Woods on Growing Up in the Public Eye: Believe in Yourself, Jordyn Woods Has Inseparable Bond With Boyfriend Karl-Anthony Towns. We are very committed to growing this baseball division to be the best division in baseball, Matthes said. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. Lee, an Auburn signee, will have a chance to cash in endorsements deals and maintain her . Its the most popular event. Athlete. College basketball and football players likely to turn pro were predicted to score the biggest deals, a scenario that's already starting to play out. Last week, Lee was moving into her college digs at Auburn. Time permitting, she should be able to make just as much money as she would have normally made.". Thompson echoed many of the same sentiments, adding that perhaps joining Biles on her sponsor-supported, post-Tokyo Gold Over America Tour could put Lee to an even stronger earning position. Measure of Success: Churchill Downs Race Tracks Sponsorship Strategy Sponsored by IEG, Ourand: Pac-12 has time on media rights, as long as no other schools leave, Fallout from RSN mess means big changes for fans, teams and leagues, The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast: Episode 76 -- RSN Armageddon. Florida State, Clemson Start MadnessEarly, Learfield Losses Top $2 Billion Since 2019 After Tough2022, Live Nation Earnings Jump Despite Taylor Swift TicketingStorm. And while the incoming freshman may now decide to forgo the NCAA ranks, as many Olympians doBiles had verbally committed to UCLA before the 2016 Olympics, eventually opting to instead turn proLee no longer has to choose between endorsement deals and college eligibility. [Lee is] now the new Americas sweetheart, Thompson added. Longer term, her gold is even more valuable. Lee could now potentially get a branded doll or clothing line, as long as it doesn't incorporate Auburn in the design. A native of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Lee rose to international prominence after a personal tragedy. Nude Selfies! The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee puts a $37,500 sticker on a gold medal, which Lee will take home alongside $22,500 for the silver she helped Team USA earn in the team event and any other prize money she may earn for making the podium in the individual events. Caeleb Dressel claimed five gold medals in swimming. Collins co-represents Allen with Jim Denton and Tom Condon. Its the medal to win in gymnastics, in the sport that gets the most attention at the Olympics and brings in casual fans that are not necessarily big sports fans, but everybody seems to watch that Its humongous. What they have is a short runway to Paris, and they have so much momentum right now that it could be carried through the next three years to add value to them, says Lisa Delpy Neirotti, director of the sports management program at George Washington University. It worked. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Leaders Group. Lee and Carey's teammates, including Simone Biles, who withdrew from the individual competition to focus on her mental health, were seen Thursday in the stands in Tokyo cheering on Lee and Carey. product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Lees win in the all-around could be leveraged for as much as $10 million over the young athletes lifetime, Burton said. It will remain in effect until federal legislation is passed or the NCAA creates permanent rules. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Its a big deal, Auburn gymnastics coach Jeff Graba said. Sunisa Suni Lee, the surprise winner of the womens individual gymnastics all-around Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, has signed with Smith & Saint, an agency formed by two sisters who are both attorneys. Moreover, her flexibility and smoothness in routines are a must-watch for fans all over the world. Soon after, she won the silver medal for the team gymnastics competition while she only claimed bronze for her signature uneven bars competition. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Lee will be represented by S&S CEO Britt St. George, COO Madison Lees and CMO Kaila McWilliams. But her impending haul off the mat is actually worth much more. Sunisa Lee's father, John Lee, celebrates his daughter's Olympic gold as she is presented the medal on television at a watch party in Oakdale, Minn., Thursday. Team USA gymnast Sunisa Lee took home the gold medal in the womens all-around on Thursday, a victory that some marketers say could come with a seven-figure financial windfall for the 18-year-old star, who just shot her marketability into the stratosphere. Additionally, she has the capability to partner with brands for paid social media posts considering her whopping 500,000 followers. She is endorsed by the Pearson+ app right now and has a net worth of a staggering $2 million at just 19 years old. Upgrade your subscription to get all the news you need: Adding SBJ weekly content will give you the comprehensive view of sports business with: Adding SBJ daily content will give you the comprehensive view of sports business with: After winning gold in Tokyo, Sunisa Suni Lee was moving into her college housing at Auburn. The total guarantee of the deal is $150 million, and $100 million was guaranteed on signing. But he swam only in relay events and was very much overshadowed by his all-star teammates Michael Phelps, Ryan Held and Nathan Adrian. Lee, who is 18, was not previously represented and is about to start her freshman year at Auburn, where she is on the gymnastics team. Sunisa Lee competes on the vault during the women's U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials Sunday in St. Louis. There are classes to get to. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) By Brands that want to work with Lee in the immediate aftermath of Tokyo will pay a premium due to her demand, which means cash in her pocket and continued visibility that Burton said creates a sustainable revenue stream for Lees future.