College athletes earn substantial amounts of money in the United States.
Haley Cavinder and Hanna Cavinder quickly reached the millionaire series. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
Haley and Hanna Cavinder are completely unknown to Finns, but behind the scenes, the identical twins of basketball have been able to taste great popularity and cash flow.
With the help of Tiktok videos that went viral, the Cavinders managed to sign significant cooperation agreements over the course of a few years, the total value of which is at least two million dollars (around 1.85 million euros).
On their joint social media accounts, they have 6.4 million followers, taking all platforms into account. Basketball pictures are in the minority. The content is more focused on leisure shots, often posing in tight dresses.
The case of the 22-year-old girls is noteworthy because it tells about the new winds of local university sports and sponsorship.
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A change in the law
The Cavinders’ stunt was not possible until 2021, when the U.S. Supreme Court voted 9-0 to allow students to earn a living alongside their studies.
Under it, the umbrella organization of American collegiate sports (NCAA) was forced to change its rules.
The initiative to change the law came from the students themselves. The young athletes felt it was an injustice that a lucrative business was being run on their faces and work, but they did not receive any kind of monetary compensation for it.
Allowing sponsorship deals was a watershed moment as it opened up the floodgates for college athletes.
Perhaps the most famous beneficiary is a University of Louisiana gymnast Olivia “Livvy” Dunne20, whose contracts and assets are estimated to be worth 3.5 million dollars, or 3.2 million euros.
Dunne, who has become extremely popular, has more than 11 million followers on his social media accounts.
The highest paid college athlete is an NBA megastar LeBron James’s son Bronny18. The second-generation basketball player has already managed to catch up to 7.2 million dollars in earnings during his college days.
Show wrestling next
Many college millionaires are top prospects in their field, but Haley and Hanna Cavinder are not. The sibling duo stopped playing basketball after graduating this spring.
Former track and field athlete, sports historian Victoria Jackson has expressed concern that sponsorship deals are based more on sexiness and attractiveness than on performance.
He considers it an unfair situation for athletes who are really investing in their careers, who may get stuck in an increasingly strong appearance-oriented thinking.
The phenomenon in itself is nothing new in sports, but two years ago it also became part of the university world.
– You noticed that some average athlete at best, who happened to be good-looking, got a big contract, while a woman who was part of the Olympic team and won national championships had trouble getting a shoe deal, Jackson gives an example from her own running times.
The Cavinders have announced that they are targeting show wrestling organization WWE next.
– We love WWE, the fan base, the sport itself and the fitness side of it. It fits Hanna’s and my brand and line wonderfully, Haley Cavinder stated.
Sources: CNBC, Free Press, News.au, Daily Mail