Sponsorships and Olympic athletes

[Anonymous]

So how do sponsorships work? Companies like Visa and McDonald's are Olympic sponsors so do they pledge to donate X amount to U.S. athletes? How is that money divided up?

[Anonymous]

Money is not divvied up. Athletes negotiate their own deals. Only the top are getting big sponsorships--Phelps, Biles, etc.

Most others may get some small endorsements in their field, or none at all. They do receive $$ for medals, I think $15k for gold, $10k for silver, $5k for bronze. Really in the less popular sports, the athletes are not making any money.

[Anonymous]

Can the younger athletes still compete in college if they have had Olympic endorsements?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can the younger athletes still compete in college if they have had Olympic endorsements?

I don't believe they can be paid.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/frequently-asked-questions-about-ncaa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can the younger athletes still compete in college if they have had Olympic endorsements?

I don't believe they can be paid.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/frequently-asked-questions-about-ncaa

They can't be paid, which creates a difficult dilemma for the few athletes with serious earning potential. For example, Missy Franklin chose not to go professional after the 2012 games when she had great earning potential, and instead swam for Cal for two years. After two years, she went professional (hence the ads for Minute Maid, etc. that ran before the Olympics). Missy still has two years of college left, but will no longer be allowed to swim for her school.

Katie Ledecky is now in the same situation as Missy. She could go professional and make some good money on endorsements. But, if she does that, she wouldn't be able to swim for Stanford where she's starting in the fall. In another post, someone mentioned Schooling (the swimmer who beat Phelps in teh 100 fly) potentially getting endorsement deals. Of course, if he does that, his swimming career at UT will be over.

Simone Biles had committed to UCLA, but then decided to go pro giving up her NCAA eligibility. Madison Kocian has not gone pro, so she will be on the UCLA team starting this fall. Aly and Gabby both turned pro after 2012, I think. Laurie Hernandez may be facing this decision soon.

IMO, these athletes should not have to choose. If they turn pro to make $, I understand having to give up a scholarship. But I think it's unfair that they are then forbidden from participating in college sports. This is particularly problematic with respect to sports like football and basketball, where schools are making tons of cash off these athletes, yet the athletes can't take any money if they want to keep playing.

[Anonymous]

This article talks about one of the gymnasts from last Olympics and her NCAA status. Basically the pro money was too good to give up, so she took it and ended up working as a student manager of the UCLA gymnastics team because she desperately wanted that college gymnastics experience. It's tough, especially for the gymnasts who are so young when they peak in the sport.

www.si.com/more-sports/2015/04/15/jordyn-wieber-ucla-student-manager-ncaa-olympics

[Anonymous]

Laurie Hernandez announced during the Olympics that she was giving up her eligibility.

[Anonymous]

What does a professional gymnast or professional swimmer do, anyway?

I understand it in a sport like golf, where there is a pro circuit, but gymnastics and swimming?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does a professional gymnast or professional swimmer do, anyway?

I understand it in a sport like golf, where there is a pro circuit, but gymnastics and swimming?

merchandising, merchandising, where the real money is made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can the younger athletes still compete in college if they have had Olympic endorsements?

I don't believe they can be paid.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/frequently-asked-questions-about-ncaa

They can't be paid, which creates a difficult dilemma for the few athletes with serious earning potential. For example, Missy Franklin chose not to go professional after the 2012 games when she had great earning potential, and instead swam for Cal for two years. After two years, she went professional (hence the ads for Minute Maid, etc. that ran before the Olympics). Missy still has two years of college left, but will no longer be allowed to swim for her school.

Katie Ledecky is now in the same situation as Missy. She could go professional and make some good money on endorsements. But, if she does that, she wouldn't be able to swim for Stanford where she's starting in the fall. In another post, someone mentioned Schooling (the swimmer who beat Phelps in teh 100 fly) potentially getting endorsement deals. Of course, if he does that, his swimming career at UT will be over.

Simone Biles had committed to UCLA, but then decided to go pro giving up her NCAA eligibility. Madison Kocian has not gone pro, so she will be on the UCLA team starting this fall. Aly and Gabby both turned pro after 2012, I think. Laurie Hernandez may be facing this decision soon.

IMO, these athletes should not have to choose. If they turn pro to make $, I understand having to give up a scholarship. But I think it's unfair that they are then forbidden from participating in college sports. This is particularly problematic with respect to sports like football and basketball, where schools are making tons of cash off these athletes, yet the athletes can't take any money if they want to keep playing.

Two separate issues. There is no fairness argument wrt excluding professionals from amateur competitions. There is a fairness argument to how athletic dep't profits are allocated. Even if college athletes received a piece of the pie, there's a big difference in receiving money from the NCAA and from a sponsor (who may or may not be a booster of a specific school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can the younger athletes still compete in college if they have had Olympic endorsements?

I don't believe they can be paid.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/frequently-asked-questions-about-ncaa

But nothing says their parents can't be paid.