August 7, 2024

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Gabby Thomas seals her spot as the next great U.S. sprinter. … Many international Olympians are getting interesting non-cash rewards for winning medals. … The new candidate for vice president has strong sports ties. … And Mike Tirico joins Front Office Sports Today to break down his Olympic broadcasting strategy.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]] and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

Gabby Thomas’s Olympic Gold Is Just Her Latest Accomplishment [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

American Gabby Thomas (above) won her first Olympic gold medal Tuesday in the women’s 200-meter sprint, solidifying her rising stardom on and off the track.

Thomas defeated silver medalist Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred—who won gold in the 100-meter sprint—and fellow American Brittany Brown, who earned bronze.

This marks new territory for Thomas, 27, who took home bronze in the 200-meter race at the Tokyo Olympics, and a silver medal as part of Team USA’s 4×100-meter relay squad. That relay team, which includes 100-meter sprint silver medalist Sha’Carri Richardson, will look for another medal in Paris later this week.

Not Slowing Down

Now entering the peak of her athletic career, Thomas is winning big after already making a significant difference in her sport. She helped [[link removed]] Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian come up with the idea for a new women’s-only track and field event, the 776 Invitational, which will debut in September.

At that upcoming track meet, all participants will take home prize money, with $60,000 for the winner, $25,000 for the runner-up, $10,000 for third, $8,000 for fourth, $5,000 for fifth, and $2,500 for sixth. Compare that with the Diamond League, track and field’s premier professional competition, which typically pays $10,000 to race winners and $30,000 at its season-ending event.

Thomas earns $50,000 from World Athletics for her gold medal in Paris, and another $37,500 from Team USA.

Brand Building

New Balance has sponsored Thomas since 2018, after she graduated from Harvard with a degree in neurobiology. As a professional, she moved to Austin, and last year completed a master’s degree in epidemiology from the University of Texas.

Since the Olympics began, Thomas has been capitalizing on her growing social media presence. With more than 500,000 followers on Instagram, Thomas has posted ads from Paris for skincare brand Summer Fridays, as well as Omega watches.

Olympic Gold-Medal Winners Reaping Rewards: From Real Estate to Ramen [[link removed]]

Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports

A look at the top of the Olympic medal tally shows the usual suspects like the U.S., China, and France racking up dozens of medals. But many countries struggle to win even a single medal, which makes success all the more prestigious and celebrated.

Several countries offer a monetary reward for athletes that’s much more than the $37,500 that American gold medalists receive. Hong Kong, which has four gold medals in its history, offers a $768,000 bonus [[link removed]] for a gold medalist, and many other countries with single-digit gold-medal tallies offer six-figure prizes.

Different Kinds of Rewards

But there are some countries that offer more than just a financial incentive to their new national heroes.

Take for instance Carlos Yulo (above), the Filipino gymnast who secured two gold medals in floor and vault. The Philippines had won just one gold medal in its 100-year history in the Olympics before Yulo’s Paris run, so on top of around $100,000 in cash, he was rewarded [[link removed].] with a house and lot, a two-bedroom condominium, around $18,000 worth of furniture, a lifetime supply of cookies, and free meals for life from several local restaurant chains including a Korean fried chicken franchise and ramen bar.

A buffet of prizes isn’t new to the Olympics. Other countries like Iraq and Austria have rewarded Olympians with land or real estate. Malaysian athletes who win any medal receive cars. In 2021, Indonesia’s badminton gold medalists received five cows and a meatball restaurant.

Perhaps the most serious of prizes is for young South Korean males. Most South Korean men serve 18–21 months of compulsory military service, but an Olympic medal winner will receive an exemption. Tom Kim, a 22-year-old golfer, nearly secured [[link removed]] the exemption Sunday, finishing in eighth, four shots back of a bronze medal.

There are also countries like the U.K., Norway, and Sweden where the government doesn’t directly provide any monetary [[link removed]] reward to athletes for participating or winning a medal.

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FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY Tirico Talks Olympics Surge

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The Olympics are surging in ratings and public interest, and their star-studded cast is a big reason. Legendary broadcaster and Olympics host Mike Tirico joins Front Office Sports Today to discuss the scene in Paris, and what goes into NBC’s groundbreaking coverage of the Games.

Plus, we take you to the Huddle in the Hamptons, an FOS-hosted event that featured some of the most notable athlete-investors in the industry. Midge Purce, Marques Colston, and Wale Ogunleye discuss the excitement and caution that come with being athletes in business.

🎧 Watch, listen, and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Spotify [[link removed]], and YouTube [[link removed]].

LOUD AND CLEAR From Defensive Coordinator to VP Candidate

David Berding-USA TODAY Sports

“This is nonsense. Let’s just turn this thing around.”

—Tim Walz, who was named Kamala Harris’s running mate on the Democratic ticket Tuesday, said [[link removed]] on an episode of Pod Save America about his time as the defensive coordinator of Mankato West High School’s football team. The Minnesota governor said when he took over the Scarlets, they were on an 0–27 run. In 1999, three years after joining the high school, they won the 4A state title.

Walz has shown a deep love for sports. Earlier this year, when the Timberwolves made the conference finals for the first time since 2004, he declared the day of the first game as “Wolves Back Day.” He also helped secure public financing for the Vikings’ U.S. Bank Stadium, and helped Minneapolis land WWE’s first two-night SummerSlam in 2026.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS AWARDS

Celebrate Industry Changemakers

Front Office Sports has partnered with Sports Innovation Lab to honor organizations making a significant impact in the business of sports.

The Most Impactful Award [[link removed]] celebrates organizations that leverage their power and platform to create positive change beyond generating revenue and expanding their business. These companies understand the importance of investing in people, communities, and causes to reach their full potential.

Consideration for this award is inclusive of:

DEI initiatives Youth sports programs Education programs Voter registration and voter access programs Community outreach Foundation work and charitable fundraising Messaging and communications

Submissions are open through Oct. 6 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Learn more [[link removed]] about the award or submit your organization today.

Conversation Starters The women’s golf competition at the Paris Olympics tees off Wednesday, as more professional players are embracing [[link removed]] the competition since its Olympic return in 2016. American Cole Hocker upset the field to win the men’s 1,500-meter race. Take a look [[link removed]] at his unique running journey. The Rays are giving away Flappy Boi hoodies to 12,000 fans at Tropicana Field on Friday. Check it out [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Olympics Strongly Deny Claim of ‘Worms’ in Village Food [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]British swimmer Adam Peaty complained about the food selection in Paris. As International Stars Rise, the NBA Explores a New European League [[link removed]]by Colin Salao [[link removed]]More than half of the NBA’s international players last season were from Europe. Charles Barkley Un-Retires From TV, Says He’s Staying With TNT [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Barkley is TNT Sports. And TNT Sports is Barkley. Question of the Day

Do you think Team USA should pay its gold medalists more than $37,500?

Yes [[link removed]] No [[link removed]]

Tuesday’s result: Only 29% of respondents said they have watched the offseason and/or in-season version of ‘Hard Knocks.’

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