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. Plugging a product or service on social media is just one way college athletes have begun cashing in. There will likely be no shortage of possibilities for the charismatic Lee, the first Hmong American to win an Olympic medal. [Lee is] now the new Americas sweetheart, Thompson added. The. More than two decades of archival stories, profiles, research and data. Her mother's long-time partner John Lee bred her throughout her life as she keeps his surname. Then, with Biles the 2016 Olympic all-around champion scratched from this years all-around final, all eyes were on Lee, who represented Team USAs best chance to maintain its grip on the sports marquee event and bring a fifth straight all-around gold medal back stateside. That shes only 18 also means shell be 21 when the next Summer Olympics come around in 2024, leaving the possibility for her to defend her gold in Paris. And youth is on their side. For example, when Nike was an official sponsor of the Olympics in years past, an athlete like Biles wouldnt have been able to wear Athleta gear at the Games. 1.7M followers. 1 high school prospect, shortstop, Matthes co-leads the division with WME agent and partner, We are very committed to growing this baseball division to be the best division in baseball, Matthes said. Suni opened up in May about how difficult it was to wait for the Olympics when it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Its a dream scenario.. 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. The superstar gymnast now earns several million dollars a year off the mat from sponsors, including Athleta (after several years as a Nike athlete), Visa, United Airlines, Oreo and Core Power protein shakes. Suni Lee is not turning pro. Understandably as an Olympic hero, advertisers have been gravitating toward her. Its good for our program because, you know, it brings a lot of national recognition to us. Sunisa Phabsomphou was born on March 9, 2003, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. But its a sport and an athlete that performed under incredible pressure, especially given everything thats happened leading up to this. "My body just needs time to heal itself," she said. However, a key caveat of the new ruling is that non-Olympic sponsors cant mention the Games in their brand advertising, so as to maintain Olympic sponsor exclusivity. A life to begin. Moreover, her flexibility and smoothness in routines are a must-watch for fans all over the world. As you can imagine, she was inundated with a bunch of requests and a bunch of people trying to get access to her. 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. After the success she found in gymnastics, she took part in the famous tv reality show Dancing With the Stars. Tim Walz and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter declared Friday "Sunisa Lee Day," a symbol of just how quickly things can turn when you stand atop the podium at the Olympics with the national anthem playing and NBC's ever-present cameras zooming in. Life & Style has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Register for a free SBJ account to unlock one extra article per month. Lee instantly became one of the stars of these Summer Games. Pressure of Being the Olympic Gold Medalist, How Is She Real: Olympic Champ Suni Lees Unbelievably Flawless Performance in Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering business, consumer and financial stories that range from economic inequality and housing issues to bankruptcies and the business of sports. The so-called NIL rules that took effect July 1 allow college athletes to strike deals with brands that use their name, image and likeness. 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. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, College athletes profiting off of NCAA policy, College athletes take advantage of new NCAA policy, One way to fix Social Security? 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. . Hotel + Car/Transfers. Liz Mullen can be reached atlmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. 1 gymnast in the world. 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.. - 1 day 8 hours ago, By Sunisa Lee, of United States, reacts as she poses for a picture after winning the gold medal in the artistic gymnastics women's all-around final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. 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. Its yeah, this is huge Its the biggest event of the Olympics. All rights reserved (About Us). Yes, she'll arrive at Auburn as not just another freshman. 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. She took home one gold and three silver medals at the junior-level competition. "America was waiting for this hero," adding that her estimated sponsorship potential right now is above seven figures. Sunisa Lee poses with her gold medal after winning the women's gymnastics all-around title at the Summer Olympics at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on Thursday in Tokyo. But he swam only in relay events and was very much overshadowed by his all-star teammates Michael Phelps, Ryan Held and Nathan Adrian. Overall, Thompson sees Lee and her teammates' decision to attend college a win-win for both brands and the athletes. Before her arrival to Auburn for the 2022 season, she was a seven-time U.S. National Team member. You may opt-out by. But this is a real performance success, somebody who has won gold, somebody who could be back in four years, a sport right now thats garnering incredible attention a lot of because of what happened with Simone Biles. The fact that she sort of stepped up and won gold amidst all this controversy and issues about mental health and the pressure involved she was just under a microscope, and she came through.. Back after returning from Tokyo, she partnered with the Pearson+ app to boost her earnings. Lees performance on the worlds biggest stage propelled her into another stratosphere among college athletes all before she even steps foot on Auburns campus this fall. The superstar gymnast now earns several million dollars a year off the mat from sponsors, including Athleta (after several years as a Nike athlete), Visa, United Airlines, Oreo and Core Power protein shakes. 2023 Sportico Media, LLC. Lee signing with a large school like Auburn also gives her another four years of earning potential ahead of her with boundless opportunities to pitch products, make appearances, sign autographs or participate in one of the latest trends by commissioning NFTs of her gold-medal performance. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Caeleb Dressel claimed five gold medals in swimming. Sunisa Lee. There are classes to get to. Longer term, her gold is even more valuable. With Lee still being a teenager, Dorfman could see sponsorships targeting younger demographics, like snack foods, pizza or fast-food restaurants. 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's longtime coach Jess Graba and Auburn coach Jeff Graba are twin brothers. Reels. 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. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Back then, however, things were different. On3 NIL, which tracks college athletes' NIL deals, estimates Lee's market value of $1.5 million. University of Miami football players D'Eriq King and Bubba Bolden have each signed $20,000 endorsement deals with College Hunks Hauling Junk, ESPN reported. Furthermore, she won two more medals in Tokyo to the delight of most fans. Lee's victory came with a total score of 57.928, continuing the U.S. women's all-around win streak going back to 2004. I want to be able to do everything. Now she actually gets that shot.. In the past, the only option brands had to associate with college-bound Olympic gymnasts was to sponsor entire college athletic departmentsa move that often did not align strategically, Thompson suggests. After all, they always expected her to win some medals in Tokyo and believed she had the potential to compete for the all-around gold. Daily updates aggregating the stories and spin from more than 600 outlets across the globe. Its not just the medal that makes her marketable, though, but the pedestal on which fans have long put top U.S. gymnastsfrom Mary Lou Retton to Nastia Liukin to Gabby Douglas to Biles. Her incredible showing during the championship event has made her an American hero and fans are curious how much money the Minnesota native makes from her gymnastics career. So it'll be really exciting for me when I can just, like, go out and do stuff.". 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Matthes also represents utility player Peyton Wilson, drafted by the Kansas City Royals; right-handed pitcher Irv Carter, who was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays; and right-handed pitcher Davis Sharpe, who was drafted by the Cleveland Indians. October 13, 2021 / 2:46 PM What a winner! Sunisa Lee, who hails from Minnesota, is the daughter of Laotian refugees who fled the country in the wake of the Vietnam War and she became the first Hmong-American to represent the United . Olympic Gold Medalist @auburngymnastics teamsuni@smithsaint.com. She needs the rest. Its a dream scenario., Team USA Prepares for What Could Be Baseball's Last Shot at Summer Olympics, NBC Scrambles to Compensate Advertisers as Olympics Ratings Tank, In Court, Olympic Ticket Seller Calls Refund Lawsuit a 'Shakedown'. Thats not limited to endorsement deals, though hes sure whoever ends up representing Lee will capitalize on those. 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. With Simone Biles withdrawing from the gymnastics competition, she took the opportunity to provide a sensational performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Its all good. Lees team is seeking deals with brands that are authentic to Lee as a person. "It's just a different environment," Lee said. 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. Still, she pressed on, telling the New York Times in 2020, I am tougher because of it. In addition to her gold medal, Lee won silver in the team event and bronze on uneven bars at Tokyo 2020. This Olympic and Paralympic cycle also provided both athletes and brands with new marketing opportunities. Florida State, Clemson Start MadnessEarly, Learfield Losses Top $2 Billion Since 2019 After Tough2022, Live Nation Earnings Jump Despite Taylor Swift TicketingStorm. Bradwell was one of 10 college athletes that Sam's Club signed to a deal, the retailer said, including Southern Methodist University soccer player Sam Estrada and Georgia State University wide receiver Sam Pinckney. I cover the intersection of sports, business and technology. How do you put a price tag on that?. Lets talk seven figures, said Bob Dorfman, the creative director at Baker Street Advertising and a sports marketing expert. However, the elite athletes net worth is a bit of a mystery. Sunisa Lee won the balance beam at the N.C.A.A. The US international is an Olympic gold medalist and one of the best gymnasts in the world. She is the holy grail of consumers, the target for nearly every marketer in America. Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press By Victor Mather April 15, 2022 The N.C.A.A. Prior to her new partnership with CLIF, she had already signed deals with Amazon AMZN -1.6%,. Oh My! Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Shes out of central casting. The fact that Simone Biles pulled out kind of put more laser-focused attention on it. 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