Athletes, influencers compete for likes at Paris Olympics

go through Amy TanneryReuters

Athletes chasing Olympic gold will also be chasing likes and follows on social media in Paris as a battle for coveted viral fame begins at the Games.

Starting on July 26, a unique social media campaign will unfold over 16 intense days, with Olympians hoping to use this short period of time to connect with Olympic fans on platforms such as YouTube, Tik Tok and Instagram.

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Ilona Maher, an American football player who became popular at the Tokyo Olympics, now has more than a million followers on Tik Tok, even though her sport is not as popular as other sports in the United States.

Her teammate Ariana Ramsey is hoping to follow a similar path in Paris, hoping the four videos she makes each day will build her online presence and help her achieve her ambition of one day launching her own sportswear brand.

“It’s really stressful because there’s only so much you can really plan for,” she told Reuters.

“I can make a list of content ideas and try to execute them, but it’s more of a question of, what’s happening at the time? What can I capture? What’s relevant?”

Like many Olympians who work second or even third jobs, Ramsey uses social media to supplement his income, striking one-off deals with brands and charging about $100 for an Instagram Reel or $50 for an Instagram Story post.

In the past, athletes like Ramsey might have needed an agent to negotiate deals with brands. Now, companies are contacting them directly to make deals.

“It’s totally a second job,” said Ramsey, who also competed in the Tokyo Olympics.

Kate Johnson, Google’s global marketing director, sports, entertainment and content partnerships, told Reuters that athletes don’t have to be top celebrities to gain attention online.

“You don’t have to have a big name. You have something unique to tell and share, and brands want to acquire it,” she said.

The trustee of the Women’s Sports Foundation, who won a silver medal in rowing in 2004, has seen extraordinary new opportunities quickly unfold for athletes since her time on the Olympic podium in Athens.

YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc., reached 1 billion unique visitors per month in 2013. By 2022, that number is expected to roughly double.

“I felt like I had to do a PSA for the Olympic athletes who are in the moment, competing, focusing, training, and not necessarily focusing on how to use this moment to make money for themselves,” she said.

Online “value”

For some, a wealthy sponsor can give them a boost.

In the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, Visa provided more than 100 “Team Visa” athletes with a masterclass in digital storytelling and engagement led by social media creators.

The course, available for the first time, includes practical guidance on how to use platforms such as Tik Tok and instruction in digital storytelling.

“There’s value in helping them engage with their fans and become better and more comfortable in this creative space,” said Andrea Fairchild, senior vice president of global sponsorship strategy at Visa.

Samsung Electronics is giving every athlete participating in the Olympic Games the tools they need to compete — its new flip phone, the Olympic Edition.

Visa courses also educate athletes on how to manage the pitfalls of social media, as online abuse is an unavoidable reality for athletes.

A FIFA report found that one in five players at the 2023 Women’s World Cup had been subjected to discriminatory or abusive content, and even the most ardent content creators acknowledge that too much time online has a cost.

Sportswear brand Asics announced ahead of the Olympics that it would work with data science company Signify to protect its athletes from online harassment.

“We are acutely aware of the negative impact that online harassment and cyberbullying can have on mental health, so we are keen to help protect our athletes from online abuse,” Olivier Mignon, ASICS’ global head of sports marketing, said in a statement.

Rugby player Maher has more than 590,000 followers on Instagram, but she is not immune to social media trolls. At the recent Team USA Summit, she told reporters that she sees her online presence as a means to an end.

“Do I wish I had to do it? No,” she said. “But I love what it has done for me.”

– Reuters