"I pretty much sacrificed my summers" - When LSU sensation Olivia Dunne disclosed the price she paid en route to superstardom
Behind every star, there's an immense amount of hard work, something Olivia Dunne knows. The LSU Tigers gymnast boasts over 12 million followers on Instagram and TikTok combined.
This immense following has led her to become one of the highest-earning NIL-earning college football athletes, with a staggering $3.3 million NIL deal, per On3. However, to get to this stardom, Dunne had to sacrifice a lot of things, which she revealed in an interaction.
In an exclusive interview with 'Today,' last year, Dunne mentioned she had to sacrifice her summer to reach this point.
"I pretty much sacrificed my summers, pool days, and beach days with friends. I was training," Dunne said.
She further talked about her NIL deals and added:
"I am very grateful to be making seven figures. It is very cool that someone in college has the opportunity to do that now."
Olivia Dunne credits LSU for her NIL earnings
Ever since the NCAA changed the rule and allowed student-athletes to monetize their deals, LSU has dedicated and set up an entire department to help its athletes bag NIL deals, and Olivia Dunne credits the university for the initiative.
She has also set up the "Livvy Fund," which will help LSU female athletes seek guidance regarding NIL deals and help them out through Dunne's industrial networks.
"They've been nothing but supportive, so I figured I'd give back to the school and the program that has helped me so much," Dunne said. [via People].
Dunne, who is an inspiration to young girls, has endorsement deals with clothing brands American Eagle, Forever 21, and Vuori. Apart from this, she also has NIL deals with Accelerator Active Energy and the plant-based supplement brand, Plantfuel.
According to On3, she only trails Lebron James' son, Bronny James ($5.8 million, 13.5 million followers) and Deion Sanders' son, Shedeur Sanders ($4.7 million, 2.4 million followers) in the NIL college athlete rankings.
Moreover, Olivia Dunne is dating the Pittsburgh Pirates' 2023 first overall pick, Paul Skenes.