Team USA players celebrate after victory during the Women's Rugby Sevens Bronze Medal match between Team USA and Team Australia on day four of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France on July 30, 2024 in Paris, France.
Michael Steele | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
The Paris 2024 Olympics are attracting new funding for lesser-known women's sports and teams, with U.S. women's rugby sevens, water polo and women's track and field all making significant contributions this year.
The US women’s rugby sevens team received a $4 million donation from investor Michele Kang earlier this week. Rapper and reality TV host Flavor Flav has thrown his support behind water polo, and Alexis Ohanian, the husband of tennis superstar Serena Williams and co-founder of Reddit, is investing in women’s athletics.
“Niche sports often don't get the attention they deserve, but they are filled with incredible talent and heart,” Flavor Flav said when announcing his support for water polo in July.
Flavor Flav announced a five-year partnership with USA Water Polo, which includes funding for the 2024 U.S. Women's Team, as well as serving as the “official cheerleader” for both the men's and women's teams. The amount of his contribution was not disclosed.
She pledged her support after player Maggie Steffens posted on Instagram that she and her teammates often have to work second or third jobs to compete because water polo doesn't get as much attention as other sports.
The U.S. women’s water polo team has won gold at the last three Olympic Games and Flavor Flav aims to increase their visibility. The partnership includes their commitment to boosting U.S. water polo on social media, beyond cheering on the girls in the pool.
Growing support
Kang's contribution to women's rugby sevens will last four years and will provide resources to players and coaching staff ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Kang, who founded Kynisca Sports to promote women's athletics globally, said 2024 has been a “banner year” for women's sports, with record participation. As sponsors and networks increasingly recognise the value of women's sports, she said now is the time to invest in them.
The support comes after the women's rugby sevens team won bronze, securing the first Olympic medal for the United States in rugby sevens, among both the men's and women's teams. They also set a new record for a women's rugby event, with 66,000 fans packing the Stade de France, according to World Rugby.
“This Eagles team, led by players like Ilona Maher and co-captains Lauren Doyle and Naya Tapper, has captivated millions of new fans, bringing unprecedented attention to the sport,” Kang said in the announcement.
Maher told CNBC this week that without a strong showing at the Games, the team might not have survived.
“Our coach told us that if we didn't win a medal, we might not have a program next year, and those words really stuck with me, and so we did,” Maher said.
Beyond the games
Ohanian already co-owns a women's soccer club and told CNBC's “Squawk Box” this week that his goal is to extend the popularity of women's athletics beyond its Olympic peak.
In April, she announced that her venture capital firm will host a competition in late September with the largest prize pool ever contested for a women's track and field event. Ohanian will double the prize pool of the Paris Games with a top prize of $30,000.
“None of this is charity, nor should it be,” Ohanian said. “It's about excellence, and celebrating it.”
— CNBC's Jessica Golden, Kasey O'Brien and Nicolas Vega contributed to this report.
Disclosure: NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC, owns NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics holds the U.S. broadcast rights to all Summer and Winter Games through 2032.
