The 2024 Paris Olympics are drawing substantial new investments for lesser-known sports and women’s teams, with the USA women’s rugby sevens, water polo, and women’s track and field securing major contributions this year.
The USA women’s rugby sevens team recently received a $4 million donation from investor Michele Kang. Additionally, rapper and reality TV star Flavor Flav has pledged support for water polo, and Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and husband of tennis icon Serena Williams, is investing in women’s track and field.
“Niche sports often don’t get the spotlight they deserve, but they are packed with incredible talent and heart,” Flavor Flav stated when announcing his support for water polo in July.
Flavor Flav has entered a five-year partnership with USA water polo, committing funds to the 2024 USA women’s team and serving as the “official hype man” for both the men’s and women’s teams. While the exact amount of his contribution wasn’t disclosed, his commitment came after player Maggie Steffens highlighted the financial struggles athletes face, often needing multiple jobs to support their training.
The USA women’s water polo team has dominated the past three Olympics, winning gold each time. Flavor Flav aims to raise their profile and pledged to boost USA water polo’s visibility on social media, alongside cheering poolside. Michele Kang’s four-year contribution to women’s rugby sevens aims to enhance resources for players and coaches as they prepare for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Kang, founder of Kynisca Sports for advancing women’s athletics globally, emphasized that 2024 has been a “banner year” for women’s sports, with record-breaking engagement. She noted that as sponsors and networks increasingly recognize the value of women’s sports, now is the time to invest in them.
This support follows the women’s rugby sevens team’s bronze medal win, marking the first Olympic medal for the U.S. in rugby sevens. They also set a new record for a women’s rugby event, attracting 66,000 fans to Stade de France, according to World Rugby.
“This Eagles team, led by players like Ilona Maher and co-captains Lauren Doyle and Naya Tapper, has captivated millions of new fans, bringing unprecedented attention to the sport,” Kang said.
Maher shared that their coach had stressed the importance of winning a medal for the team’s survival, a sentiment that motivated their performance.
Ohanian, already a co-owner of a women’s soccer club, expressed his ambition to elevate the popularity of women’s track and field beyond the Olympics. He announced in April that his venture capital firm will host a competition in late September with the largest ever prize pool for a women’s track and field event, offering a $30,000 top prize.
“Nothing about this is charity nor should it be charity,” Ohanian said. “This is about excellence, about celebrating it.”
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