Social media mixed with title, picture, and likeness (NIL) has modified faculty athletics eternally. That’s been a given since NIL was made obtainable to student-athletes beginning in July 2021. Athletes’ affect on social media has solely gained extra traction over time as platforms lean into these with massive particular person followings.
Social media well-known
There’s no higher instance of that presently than LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne. Let’s not fake like 99.9 p.c of you’d know who she is that if it wasn’t for her hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram.
It’d be irresponsible to say Dunne solely has an enormous following as a result of she’s engaging and athletic. The junior does publish a ton of digital content material and clearly is aware of market herself on-line.
Making financial institution
According to On3’s NIL database, Dunne is the highest-earning feminine collegiate athlete, incomes $2.3 million to date. That software estimates each put up of Dunne’s is value $31,000. Dozens of her movies on TikTok final lower than 10 seconds. That’s fairly the haul for time on the job. And at LSU’s meet final Saturday in opposition to Utah, her following, primarily rowdy faculty boys in Salt Lake City, triggered the Tigers to make a change to their safety element shifting ahead.
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Security!
Moving forward, LSU gymnastics will have more security surrounding them at meets because of the behaviors shown by fans in Utah. This all comes from a meet Dunne attended, but didn’t compete at, because of injury. Raucous fans met LSU’s arrival with signs and cutouts of her. They chanted for her throughout the meet’s four rotations and their outlandish behavior disrupted other athletes’ routines. Silence from the crowd is common during the balance beam discipline.
A different kind of meet and greet
After the meet, videos can be seen of males lined up chanting “We want her” as well as Dunne’s name in anticipation of her leaving the arena. According to KSL.com Sports, the team’s bus had to move to avoid the crowd. Dunne commented on the crowd’s behavior the next day: “I will always appreciate and love the support from you guys, but if you come to a meet, I want to ask you to please be respectful of the other gymnasts and the gymnastics community as we are just doing our job,” Dunne tweeted.
Even LSU is linking to her social media
It’s also fair to say the school is well aware of Dunne’s following. Before listing any facts from her upbringing or athletic career, typical for college athletes, her social media is listed. Linking to a student-athlete’s TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram from their official college profile is extraordinarily uncommon. Oddly, second on On3’s NIL database of highest-earning females is Auburn gymnast Suni Lee. Dunne and the 2021 Olympic Gold Medalist are the one feminine millionaires on the record. No added safety element has been added for Lee’s meets.
What will the turnout appear to be subsequent time?
LSU’s subsequent meet is tonight in opposition to Kentucky earlier than two residence meets in opposition to Oklahoma and Missouri. No added safety features have been introduced for these occasions happening in Baton Rouge. Due to the followers’ habits in Utah, I’d be shocked if the established order on safety was enacted in Kentucky and Louisiana.