Olivia Dunne, the LSU gymnast, has taken the sports and social media world by storm. With 13 million followers and counting across a variety of social media platforms has marked her presence. As of 2023, her estimated net worth stands at a staggering $3.5 million, making her the highest-paid NCAA female athlete and gymnast.

However, in an unfiltered interview with Elle magazine, her mother recently claimed that there is a dark side hidden beneath the glitz and glamour. Despite her immense success and financial gains through NIL deals, Dunne’s mother stated the horrors of the NIL agreement that impacted her daughter’s life.

The rigid conditions placed upon Olivia Dunne

The LSU star, Olivia Dunne aka Livvy, was the main protagonist in a recent interview with Elle. Dunne’s mother, Kat, claimed in the interview that her daughter’s ascent to fame started long before the NIL policy was implemented. She mentioned how her daughter approached social media with an athletic-level intensity, diligently following a schedule, analyzing analytics, and engaging with her followers organically. However, Livvy encountered a significant obstacle due to the NCAA’s strict eligibility requirements at the time. While a student-athlete at LSU, she was unable to profit from her own name, image, and likeness despite her growing popularity and sizable fan base.

Kat emphasized the situation saying, “She came to college with this audience, and for her not to be able to use her own name, image, and likeness because it was wrapped up in these NCAA rules?basically, they owned her?was really unfair?. She pointed out the conditions were so strict that Dunne was unable to profit in any way from her fame on social media.

Read more: While Dolling Up for Her First Ever Elle Exclusive, Olivia Dunne Reveals the One Moment That Changed Her Life Forever

Even having a cup of coffee was a challenge. Despite the challenges and hardships, Livvy has achieved remarkable success through NIL deals. As more states and the NCAA embraced the policy change, college athletes now have the opportunity to profit from their hard work, talent, and marketability.

How NIL Deals helped collegiate athletes?

The NCAA enacted new regulations in July 2021 that for the first-time permitted college athletes to make money off of their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Student-athletes can now engage in a variety of business opportunities, such as sponsorships, collaborations, social media promotions, and many more opportunities, without risking their ability to participate in college sports. The introduction of NIL deals has revolutionized the landscape of college sports, providing student-athletes like Livvy the opportunity to monetize their social media presence and brand endorsements.

On the Full Send podcast, Dunne revealed that she earned a jaw-dropping six figures for a single sponsorship post. With the NCAA’s adoption of the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy, Livvy’s estimated $3.4 million in sponsorships with renowned brands like Grubhub, Forever 21, and Leaf Trading Cards showcases the unprecedented opportunities she has unlocked for herself. In the Elle Interview Livvy acknowledged the scrutiny she faces as a trailblazing woman in her field and said, ?the best way to get that to stop is to keep being successful at what you?re doing, because your success, and love for what you do, will outshine any of that?.

Despite the difficulties, Olivia Dunne’s success is proof of the influence of social media and the capacity of student-athletes to create their own brands and gain financial independence.

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