Sam Amico
LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne s more than just an athlete, according to the New York Times. She’s also making money off her looks.
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Nothing wrong with that. Though if you ask Dunne, it’s more than “sexiness” that sells, as the Times put it in a feature story.
The story was actually about how some college athletes are using their beauty for Name, image and likeness deals, which is a method by which college athletes can make money.
It interviewed Dunne as a shining example.
Olivia Dunne on Instagram
“Dunne, a petite blonde with a bright smile and a gymnast’s toned physique, earns a staggering amount by posting to her eight-million strong internet following on Instagram and TikTok,” the Times wrote. “Platforms on which she intersperses sponsored content modeling […] alongside videos of her lip syncing popular songs or performing trending dances.”
The article also suggested that “sexiness sells.”
So Dunne had a little fun with it, while making a point — posting a picture of herself in a black LSU leotard, as she stood next to a balance beam. It appeared on her Instagram story with a caption that read: “@nytimes is this too much?”
“NYTimes Is This Too Much?”
Athletes have been permitted by the NCAA to use their name, image and likeness to profit since July 2021 — and Dunne has one of the largest social media followings of any college athlete anywhere.
She reportedly makes about $2 million a year via various sponsorships. All this and she’s just 20-years-old.
“That is something I’m proud of,” Dunne told the Times. “Especially since I’m a woman in college sports. There are no professional leagues for most women’s sports after college.”
A native of New Jersey, Dunne was named to the SEC’s First-Year Academic Honor Roll and was a WCGA Academic All-American. Along with that, she was a WCGA All-American in the uneven bars and was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2022.
Hey, if you have it, flaunt it. Everyone does it, so why not let Dunne have a little fun with it too? She’s talented and pretty, sometimes you can have the best of both worlds!
