Much has changed with the Olympics amid Covid precautions, but another unexpected change has been the extent of social media viewership. With growing audiences on multiple platforms, athletes are more connected to their fans than ever before, offering a behind-the-scenes look at their experience.
Along with being more connected with audiences, many athletes are leveraging their platform to collaborate with brands of all sizes. With a wide array of ages, demographics, and experiences among Team USA, each athlete has a unique approach to social media and brand partnerships.
We took a look at 30 of Team USAâs athletes' social media platforms and how theyâre collaborating with brands and connecting with audiences.
1. Chloe Kim (@chloekim)
- Gold Medalist Snowboarder Chloe Kim took the last Olympics by storm, and her momentum hasnât slowed. With growth rates on all platforms, Kim boasts sponsorships and collaborations with Monster Energy, Toyota, Nike, and other major brands.
2. Nick Baumgartner (@nickbaumgartner)
- 4x Olympic Snowboarder and the oldest athlete competing for Team USA, Nick Baumgarterâs social media is not as filled with brand mentions as some younger athletes. Baumgartner has been vocal in his desire to be selective about his partnerships, looking for companies with similar values and ethics. Take his most recent collaboration with Bajajerky, for example- Baumgartner explains his stance on being an âinfluencer,â and the post received incredible engagement, likely reflecting in Bajajerkyâs ROI as well.
3. Alysa Liu (@alysaxliu)
- Alysa Liu is a 16-year-old Figure Skater competing for the US in her first Olympics. Liuâs audience on social media has been growing steadily since her bid for the Olympics, also featuring brand deals from American Girl Doll and Walmart.
4. Shaun White (@shaunwhite)
- Legendary Snowboarder Shaun White is no stranger to internet fame. As a former X-Games athlete, his skills have been featured on social media and online well before his days as an influencer. White has been steadily creating content for the last few years, more recently collaborating with TikTok, Ralph Lauren, and Louis Vuitton.
5. Erin Jackson (@speedyj)
- Erin Jackson is a 2-time Olympian in Long Track Speedskating. With her Instagram account growing at a whopping 30% growth rate, the skaterâs 6% engagement rate is an incredible testament to her growing fanbase. Sponsorships include Walmart, Mattel, and Toyota.
6. David Wise (@mrdavidwise)
- 3x Olympian David Wise is a freestyle skier and mental strength coach. Wise has a 3% growth rate and features collaborations with Monster Energy, Visa, and many ski and snow gear brands.
7. Nathan Chen (@nathanwchen)
- With nearly 400k followers on Instagram, 22-year-old figure skater Nathan Chenâs star is quickly rising on the social media platform. Chenâs partnerships include Kelloggâs, Coca-Cola, Bridgestone, and Wells Fargo.
8. Mikaela Shiffrin (@mikaelashiffrin)
- Mikaela Shiffrin is an Alpine Ski Racer with robust Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook platforms. Shiffrinâs brand collaborations include Barilla, Fidelity Investments, Visa, Adidas, and various other brands. These collaborations will likely continue with previous ones bringing in as much as 4M in potential reach.
9. Maame Biney (@biney.biney)
- Making her Olympic debut in 2018, Maame Biney is a speedskater. Biney has a 10%+ growth rate on her Instagram alone, featuring partnerships with Delta, Caneâs, Panasonic, and more specifically leading up to these Olympics.
10. Summer Britcher (@summerbelle)
- 2x Olympic Luger Summer Britcher is seeing significant surges in followers on her Instagram, featuring a nearly 24% growth rate.
11. Jamie Anderson (@jamieanderson)
- Snowboarder Jamie Anderson is a 19x X-Games medalist and 2x Olympic Gold medalist. Her partnerships include Kellogâs, Pacifico, Downy, and nearly 50 other brands.
12. Red Gerard (@redgerard)
- Red Gerard is a slopestyle snowboarder with over 250k followers on Instagram. Gerard has partnered with multiple brands worldwide and was featured in Chipotle and Mountain Dew campaigns in recent months.
13. Jason Brown (@jasonbskates)
- At a 3.8% engagement rate, Figure Skater Jason Brownâs Instagram has been growing by 6% over the past 90 days.
14. Karen Chen (@karebearsk8)
- Figure Skater Karen Chen has an audience of over 570k on TikTok, with both of her platforms (including Instagram) growing at steady rates. Chen has brought in reach as high as 900k on branded partnerships, with some brands featured being Toyota, Lululemon, Ulta, and Aerie.
15. Paula Moltzan (@paulamoltzan)
- Alpine Skier Paula Moltzan has collaborated on multiple influencer campaigns in recent months, but most notably, Moltzan has launched a clothing line. Featured in collaborations and giveaways, Moltzan has leveraged her audience to promote her brand and others.
16. Elana Meyers Taylor (@elanameyerstaylor)
- Elana Meyers Taylor is a Bobsledder and 3x Olympic Medalist, her audience steadily growing on Instagram and Twitter. Taylor has partnered with Walmart, Xfinity, Bridgestone Tires, and various other brands.
17. Bryce Bennett (@brycebennett)
- Skier Bryce Bennett has nearly 15k followers on Instagram, featuring Clif Bar, Fischer Ski, and Oakley Skiing sponsorships.
18. Hilary Knight (@hilaryknight)
- Hilary Knight is a Hockey player and 2x Olympian. Brand collaborations include Chobani, Chipotle, and Visa, with nearly 60 partnerships.
19. Vincent Zhou (@govincentzhou)
- Growing by more than 15%, Figure Skater Vincent Zhou has ten brand mentions from various companies, including an online school academy and Six Star Pro Nutrition.
- Ashley Cain-Gribble - Ashley Cain-Gribble is a pairs figure skater and, with her partner, Timothy LeDuc, holds the U.S. Pairs Championships. Brands partnering with the skater include Vital Proteins and Tempur-Pedic.
21. Carlo Valdes (@carlovaldes_usa)
- Carlo Valdes competes in the Bobsled, returning after his first Olympic run in 2018. Valdes has partnerships with Therabody, Under Armour, and multiple other brands in the health and fitness category.
22. Jessie Diggins (@jessiediggins)
- Skier and previous Olympic medalist Jessie Diggins has nearly 20 brand collaborations, featuring Bose, Muk Luks, Folgers, and Chobani.
23. Gus Schumacher (@gus.schumacher)
- Cross-country skier Gus Schumacher has grown by over 11% on Instagram in recent months, already landing brand collaborations with Fidelity Brokerage solutions and various other brands.
24. Matt Hamilton (@hamscurl)
- Matt Hamilton is a gold medalist in Curling, returning to the competition this year as he grows on social media. With a 3.6% engagement rate, Hamiltonâs partnerships will likely increase with the Olympics.
25. Zoe Kalapos (@zoe_kalapos)
- Snowboarder Kalapos is sponsored by Camelbak and multiple gear companies. Kalapos has previously partnered with National Geographic and Subaru, bringing in high engagement rates (14%) on these campaigns.
26. Chris Mazdzer (@mazdzer)
- 2018 Olympic Silver Medalist Chris Mazdzer is a Luger who has kept engaged social platforms since his run in the last Winter Olympics. As a contestant on Dancing With The Stars, Mazdzer has had multiple brand deals on his social media from Sperry, Toyota, and the Sand Diego Padres.
27. Emily Sweeney (@ecsweens)
- After breaking her back and neck during her event in the 2018 Olympics, Emily Sweeney is back and better than ever, sharing her inspirational journey with her growing social media audience.
28. Hailey Langland (@haileylangland)
- The snowboarder has sponsorships with Volcom, Red Bull, Oakley, GoPro, LuluLemon, and Drink Kove.
29. Kaillie Humphries (@kailiehumphries)
- Bobsledder and 3x Olympic medalist Kailie Humphries has an audience of nearly 25k on Instagram, only beat by her Twitter audience of 30k. Humphries has partnered with brands on both profiles, featuring collaborations with Hemp Fusion, Raising Caneâs, and Reign Body Fuel.
30. Dusty Henricksen (@dustyhenricksen)
- Snowboarder, Skater, and Surfer Dusty Henrickson is quickly nearing 100k on Instagram. Sponsored by Monster Energy, Salomon Snowboards, and other skate and surf shops, Henricksenâs 3% engagement rate could prove to be a great place to partner with brands.
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