Prominent women’s gymnast Olivia Dunne has made quite the name for herself during her time with the LSU Tigers, earning an eye-popping amount of money in endorsements and NIL deals due to her massive social media following which she’s gained in part by her willingness to show off her body. Her brand has been undeniably successful, but that doesn’t mean everyone is a fan.
Legendary Stanford Cardinal women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer is not a fan of Olivia Dunne using her body to gain a social media following. VanDerveer does not see it as progressive or empowering, saying “this is a step back,”
“I guess sometimes we have this swinging pendulum, where we maybe take two steps forward, and then we take a step back,” VanDerveer told The New York Times in a recent interview. “We’re fighting for all the opportunities to compete, to play, to have resources, to have facilities, to have coaches, and all the things that go with Olympic-caliber athletics.”
Whether or not VanDerveer agrees with Dunne’s tactics, they have very clearly worked as the gymnast has more than 6.2 million followers on TikTok and 2.3 million followers on Instagram. As a result, she’s set to earn seven figures this year thanks to her social media partnerships.
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