Everyone knows Olivia Dunne, right? After all, she is one of the biggest stars of NCAA gymnastics. But what does being a star mean? It surely isn’t just about being great on the mat. These athletes use their platform and success to impact society in huge ways. From shaping trends and driving social change to inspiring people worldwide, it does a lot.

And Olivia recently used her influence to weigh in on a big issue in NCAA Gymnastics. She shared her thoughts with her 159k followers on X. But is this a voice for change or just another attempt at hoarding the spotlights? For that, we have to go to the root of the post. And it all started on 27th January.

It was week four of NCAA Gymnastics, and it was a tough one for LSU, the defending national champions. After a series of shaky routines, the No. 2 Tigers lost to No. 17 Arkansas in a close SEC dual meet, with a score of 196.875 to 196.600. Their scores weren’t quite up to par, especially on the floor, which could affect their chances for an SEC Regular Season title. It was also the first year of a new evaluation system.

Now the coaches can simply submit their team’s routines to the SCORE board for review. In the scenario that the judges give unseeing scores, they might face consequences. This can even lead to bar or demotion. Seeing all of this unfold, Olivia took to X to share her thoughts on the tighter scoring. “I care deeply about the growth in women’s sports, especially in the NCAA,” Olivia wrote. “If you want fans to enjoy the sport and increase viewership, you have to look at what makes the crowds go crazy! People understand what a perfect 10 is and want people who do things that look great to be rewarded.”

She went on to explain that too many deductions, taken at a judge’s discretion, make gymnastics feel like a football game full of penalties. And that it kills the excitement for fans. Considering her huge social media following, Olivia’s words carry a lot of weight. But, not everyone agreed with her. Some questioned if her concern was about the sport or simply about keeping the entertainment factor high.

Olivia is in her fifth and final season of NCAA gymnastics. And is hoping to win a national championship with her team before she moves on to the next chapter of her life. But last year in an interview, she revealed that her Olympic dream “has died.” She explained that a severe ankle injury she suffered at age 15-16 made her realize that elite gymnastics wasn’t her future. With this in mind, after her time at LSU, Olivia has no plans to stay in gymnastics. Not as a coach or in any other capacity.

This raises a question. Does Olivia really care about the future of the sport? Fans are wondering if she will be contributing to the sport further after her exit or simply focus on her internet fame. And with her career about to end in a few months, fans are eager to know Olivia’s stance. And as she has made it clear that she won’t be competing anymore, many think that she will desert the sport altogether. Many are even of the opinion that her social media posts have less to do with growth and more about her status as an influencer.

Some fans feel this is a bit hypocritical and that Olivia may not be walking the walk when it comes to her claims of helping the sport grow. But the real question remains. What’s Olivia’s true role in gymnastics’ future? Or is she just focused on her spotlight as her time in college comes to an end?

Is Olivia Dunne’s concern real or just about the spotlight?

One fan asked a genuine question that caught a lot of attention: “I would love to know how you plan to help in this after your career is done. As you said, you are in a unique position. A TikTok simply saying ‘Go to your local NCAA gym meet this weekend, I’ll share some of my faves’ would go a LONG way in the growth of the sport.” And with the level of following Olivia Dunne has, it sure is a valid point.

Just sharing her favorite meets could draw in new fans, boost ticket sales, and maybe even get more media coverage for gymnastics. We also cannot forget that Olivia Dunne has helped LSU and other female athletes, especially with NIL deals. In 2023, she launched The Livvy Fund, which is all about teaching female athletes how to leverage their NIL potential. As she put it, “Girls don’t know where to start. Because that’s sometimes half the battle.” She’s passionate about helping others.

One more concerned fan chimed in, “Baby, you better clamp your tongue before they devalue your stuff 🤣🤣🤣.” Another fan added, “I can’t believe you fixed your fingers to type this.” And yet another commented, “This argument is wrong in so many ways, but the easiest example is that in elite WAG, viewership has increased since the open-ended code. It’s not the perfect 10 driving the viewership. It’s the athletes.”

One fan weighed in, saying, “We want gymnasts to earn 10’s, not be given them just for excitement! That makes our sport look like a joke.” Another pointed out, “If routines aren’t perfect, they shouldn’t get a 10. If you want the sport to grow, use your huge platform to showcase talented gymnasts from across the country, pushing more people to watch and attend meets near them.”

A different fan added, “If you want to grow attendance, why don’t you use all your NIL money to donate tickets to meet across the country? Get new fans to go to their first meet. Handing out 10s isn’t the answer.” Lastly, a fan watching all this said, “It’s such a two-faced statement coming from someone who has said they want nothing to do with Gymnastics after they are done with NCAA.”

Well, it seems the recent changes in NCAA gymnastics, particularly regarding the new judging system, are the main concern for Olivia. The organizers intended the new system to create more consistency across the sport, acknowledging its necessity. In the past, scoring had been pretty inconsistent. Certain conferences hand out way more perfect 10s than others. For example, in 2023, 87 perfect 10s were awarded. And most of them came from just a few conferences.

So while Olivia Dunne’s point about making the game entertaining may stand, it also has its detractors. The theory that a lack of big exciting performances will lead to less popularity might come at the expense of the integrity of the judging. Some people, including former gymnast Morgan Belvedere, believe that keeping the integrity of the game is more important than its entertainment value.

It’s a tricky situation. Olivia Dunne speaks out because she likely cares about gymnastics and its visibility. And she wants to keep the sport exciting for fans. However, others argue that the focus should be on fairness and accuracy in scoring. Even if it means taking a more critical approach. The real question is whether Olivia is genuinely concerned about the new system. Or is she more focused on maintaining her spotlight as her time in college comes to a close? What do you think?