The Paris Olympics just ended and the IOC is sitting on $6 billion.That’s the most money an Olympics has ever made from TV rights, sponsors, and tickets. Nike, Coca-Cola, and Samsung all paid millions to be there.But here’s the problem: most athletes got $0 to compete.A track athlete from Jamaica said she had to crowdfund just to fly to Paris. A US swimmer works 2 jobs between training. The gold medal? Worth about $900 in metal.Where did the $6B go? Stadiums, security, TV production, and IOC salaries. The athletes get “exposure”.This is why we’re seeing more athletes sign brand deals before the Games even start. They can’t wait for the Olympics to pay them.Basically, the biggest sports event in the world makes billions, and the people who make it happen are broke.What do you think? Should the Olympics pay athletes directly? Comment below
