Olympians turn to OnlyFans to fund dreams due to 'broken' finance system (2024)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Olympic athlete funding and economics

  • Many see Olympic athletes as underpaid “intense hobbyists” despite being world‑class; funding is especially poor in non‑“tier 1” TV sports.
  • Commenters highlight the IOC’s massive revenues and high executive pay versus minimal direct support for most athletes.
  • Some argue this is “system working as designed”: niche events (e.g., javelin, racewalking, fencing) draw limited commercial interest, so low pay is expected.
  • Others counter that the Olympics clearly generate billions via broadcast and sponsorship, so the issue is distribution, not demand.

OnlyFans, sex work, and morality

  • Several posters see no issue with athletes using OnlyFans or similar platforms, framing it as entrepreneurship and direct monetization of image.
  • Others view OnlyFans as “online prostitution,” harmful to youth, or indicative of low self‑worth, and are uneasy that elite sport funnels people into sex work.
  • A recurring theme: it’s socially accepted when media corporations sexualize athletes (e.g., magazines), but controversial when athletes do it directly.

Value of sport vs “useful” work

  • One camp argues athletes should accept that sport is risky, low‑ROI entertainment and choose more economically useful careers (e.g., factory work, nursing).
  • Opposing voices stress that elite sport is part of human flourishing: it inspires, builds community, and offers role models, even if not economically efficient.
  • Some compare disdain for athletes to dismissing artists or open‑source developers; they warn that the same “profit only” logic could be used against programmers and startups.

Inequality within and across sports

  • Big team sports (football/soccer, basketball, volleyball in some regions) capture most money and attention; niche Olympic sports struggle for sponsorship.
  • Even within lucrative sports (e.g., UFC, pro leagues), lower‑tier athletes often barely cover training and travel; for many, visibility mainly feeds coaching or gym businesses.

Broader system critiques: capitalism, welfare, and platforms

  • Multiple comments zoom out to criticize “late capitalism,” platformization, and value extraction by intermediaries (IOC, sponsors, media, platforms).
  • Analogies are drawn to GoFundMe for healthcare and to debates over socialized medicine and UBI: society will crowdfund or tip individuals but resists systemic fixes.
  • Some accept competition and market outcomes as appropriate; others argue public funds should better support Olympians as a source of national pride and inspiration.