Athletes making money from 'content creation'

Not all athletes are superstars making millions, which means some have to come up with a novel solution.

In 2024, it seems one of the best ways to earn some extra cash is with subscription-only content services – and we’ve seen a number of Olympic and non-Olympic athletes who have funded their campaigns with a little risqué content creation.

Canadian pole vaulter Alysha Newman is one athlete who has funded her Paris Olympic dream with her subscription-only content, charging £10 (almost €12/$13) a month to see exclusive snaps of the 30-year-old, who claimed bronze in Paris.

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For anybody questioning her decisions around this, Newman has a sobering counterpoint. "Whether I liked it or not, I was sexualized in the sport naturally by what I wear, and my beauty," Newman says.

"If I showed up in full leggings and a sports bra that covered my stomach, people would still sexualize me. I mean, it just never stops. When I decided to launch … [my page], it was really important for me to be a part of something I could control."

Former Australian women’s basketball player Liz Cambage made her own move to subscription-only content services in 2022.

Despite being a WNBA star at the time, Cambage was unsatisfied with her wage and took matters into her own hands. According to Total Sportal, she makes around £1.24 million (€1.4m/$1.54m) from her content alone. 

Due to the amateur nature of the games, athletes can find themselves severely lacking in the vault once they retire, such is the case for retired Dutch gymnast Verona van de Leur.

After retiring in 2008, Van de Leur found herself broke and in prison following a blackmail attempt. She started selling her own content shortly after and now has a dedicated subscription page, according to the Daily Mail. 

It’s a similar story for former Team GB skating star Elise Christie, who competed in three Winter Olympics. 

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She found herself homeless and struggling with severe mental health issues in 2021, before turning to content creation to fund her post-athletic life.

It’s not just women, though. British diver Noah Williams is another athlete who put himself out there in order to fund his Paris campaign – his second Olympics, where he claimed two medals.

Williams offers his fans an opportunity to 'chat with him directly' for their donations.

Fellow diver Matty Lee wasn't competing in this edition of the Olympics due to a back injury, but was a gold medallist in Tokyo in the 10m synchronised event.

He charges £15 a month (€17.70/$19.30) for what he describes as 'completely safe for work' content, according to the Daily Mail. 

It's a tough life out there, especially for athletes who struggle to find work that can fit alongside their intense training regime. Selling their content to fans, whatever that might be, seems like a simple solution to a complex issue.

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