Livigno, Italy – Eileen Gu added a silver medal to her collection at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing second in the Women’s Slopestyle Final, but her success extends far beyond the slopes. The 22-year-old freestyle skier has earned $23 million over the past 12 months, according to Forbes, making her the highest-paid Winter Olympics athlete.
Gu’s financial success, and that of athletes like snowboarder Chloe Kim, who earned $4 million in the same period, highlights the increasing commercial value of Olympic stars. Winning medals is the foundation, with Gu having secured two golds and one silver at the 2022 Beijing Games and adding two silvers at this year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics, and Kim claiming two gold medals in PyeongChang in 2018 and a silver this year. Although, athletic achievement is only part of the equation.
Marketers describe a key attribute as being “telegenic,” a quality that has led to endorsement deals for Gu with brands like Victoria’s Secret and appearances in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. This appeal, combined with athletic prowess, has opened doors to lucrative sponsorships.
Gu’s unique position – born and raised in San Francisco but competing for China – has also proven financially advantageous. While she has remained publicly coy about her citizenship status, given China’s prohibition of dual citizenship, her ability to appeal to both the American and Chinese consumer markets has been a boon. She has secured sponsorships from global brands like Porsche, as well as Chinese companies such as Anta Sports.
Beyond physical appearance and market reach, experts identify an intangible “it factor” that separates marketable athletes from the rest. Rick Burton, former head of marketing for the U.S. Olympics Committee and now a professor at Syracuse University, explained, “We love that they’re winners, and we celebrate winners in our culture. And I think they look good doing it. But they also have an outward vibrancy. It’s not necessarily that they’re extroverted, but it’s that they are comfortable in that moment.”
Chloe Kim’s “bubbly and sunny personality” has also proven to be a significant asset, attracting sponsors and fans alike. However, translating Olympic success into lasting financial gain also requires a savvy social media presence. Gu’s Instagram account features both glamorous photoshoots and glimpses into her everyday life, including a post about a rice cooker she brought to the Olympics and a video of her brushing her teeth. She also maintains a significant presence on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, with nearly 8 million followers. Kim recently posted a video on Instagram showcasing a new pair of denim shorts, demonstrating an ability to appear relatable to a broad audience.
Despite the high earnings of a few stars, the vast majority of Olympic athletes do not achieve such financial success. Many face significant financial burdens simply to participate, covering the costs of equipment, coaching, and insurance, often requiring part-time jobs or crowdfunding campaigns, as seen with the Jamaican bobsleigh team.
Maintaining relevance beyond the four-year Olympic cycle is a significant challenge. Athletes have pursued various strategies, such as Shaun White’s creation of The Snow League to provide more competitive opportunities, and appearances on reality television shows like Dancing with the Stars for Apolo Ohno and Kristi Yamaguchi. Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir now serve as Olympics analysts for NBC and are currently competing on the reality TV show The Traitors.
Emerging stars from the Milan Cortina Games, such as alpine skier Breezy Johnson, who won gold in downhill and received a marriage proposal near the finish line of her super-G race, are already attracting attention. However, the rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) sponsorships is poised to reshape the economics of Olympian fame. Burton suggests that future stars may not necessarily be defined by photogenic looks or medal counts, but by their ability to leverage platforms and create engaging content. “If they can keep that audience coming back for more of their content and if they can monetize their content, all of a sudden you’ve got a really interesting premise,” he said.
While NIL deals may not reach the $23 million earned by Eileen Gu, they could provide a sustainable income for many winter Olympians, turning athletic dedication into a viable long-term career.
