Team USA players celebrate during the women’s rugby sevens bronze medal match between the United States and Australia at the Stade de France on Day 4 of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France on July 30, 2024.
Michael Steele | Getty Images Sports | Getty Images
The 2024 Olympics in Paris are attracting new funding for lesser-known sports and women’s teams, with the U.S. women’s rugby sevens, water polo and women’s track and field teams making big contributions this year.
U.S. women’s rugby sevens team receives $4 million donation from investor Michele Kang earlier this week. Rapper and reality TV personality Flavor Flav supports water polo, and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, husband of tennis superstar Serena Williams, is investing in women’s track and field.
“Niche sports often don’t get the attention they deserve, but they are filled with incredible talent and love,” Flavor said when announcing his support for water polo in July.
flavor flavor declare A five-year partnership with USA Water Polo includes funding for the 2024 U.S. women’s team and serving as the “official hype man” for both the men’s and women’s teams. The amount of his donation was not disclosed.
he promise to support him Player Maggie Steffens posted on Instagram that she and her teammates often have to work a second or third job just to compete, given that water polo doesn’t get as much attention as other sports.
The U.S. women’s water polo team has won gold medals at the past three Olympics, and Flavor Flav is committed to raising their profile. The partnership includes his commitment to promoting USA Water Polo on social media, not just cheering from poolside.
growing support
Kang’s contribution to women’s rugby sevens will last four years, providing resources to the players and coaching staff ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Ms. Kang founded Kynisca Sports to promote the development of women’s sports globally. She said that as sponsors and connections increasingly recognize the value of women’s sports, now is the time to invest in them.
The United States earned its first Olympic medals in the men’s and women’s sevens teams after a bronze medal in the women’s sevens team. They also reportedly set a new record for women’s rugby, with the Stade de France packed with 66,000 fans world rugby.
Kang said in a statement: “This Eagles team, led by players like Ilona Maher and vice-captains Lauren Doyle and Naya Tapper, has attracted millions of new fans and unprecedented attention to the sport.
Maher told CNBC this week that without a good performance at the Olympics, The team may not survive.
“Our coach said to us that if we didn’t win a medal, we might not have a plan for next year, so that stuck in my mind, so we did it,” Maher said.
beyond games
Ohanian, who already co-owns a women’s soccer club, told CNBC’s “scream boxThis week, he aims to take women’s athletics’ popularity beyond its Olympic peak.
He announced in April that his venture would host a women’s track and field meet in late September with the largest prize pool ever. Ohanian doubles his bet on the Paris Olympics, with a top prize of $30,000.
“None of this is charity, nor should it be,” Ohanian said. “This is about excellence, about celebrating it.”
—CNBC’s Jessica Golden, Kasey O’Brien and Nicolas Vega contributed to this report.
Revealed: CNBC parent company NBCUniversal owns NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics is the U.S. rights holder for all summer and winter Olympics through 2032.
