Sports Illustrated has announced that LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne will be featured in the swimsuit addition later this year. Sports Illustrated’s announcement was met with excitement from fans of the gymnast, who has created social media accounts with followings totaling in the millions.
Dunne has taken advantage of the new Name Image, and Likeness rules that the NCAA put into effect to make millions of dollars as an amateur gymnast. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition is another example of Dunne leveraging her massive popularity. Sports Illustrated Editor-in-Chief MJ Day spoke about the decision to include Dunne in the magazine, saying:
“Usually being a D1 athlete, an all-academic and an industrious entrepreneur is enough to garner respect and accolades. But when you are Livvy Dunne and you also mix in being arrestingly beautiful, you unfortunately garner the ire and resentment of a certain niche population. The refusal of some to appreciate Livvy for being more than just a pretty blonde is missing the point. The backlash she received for ‘leveraging’ her sexuality for endorsement dollars after the NIL restrictions were lifted is incorrect. We are here to celebrate this incredible young woman and encourage the world to respect and applaud Livvy and her fellow athletes for owning the blood, sweat and tears that have fueled a lifetime of achievements.”
Dunne, while speaking to Sports Illustrated, said that she plans to use this platform to increase the popularity of women’s collegiate sports, especially gymnastics:
“As a female athlete, I hope I can bring attention to how amazing college sports are and how hard college athletics are. People don’t see [behind the scenes] every day of my college athletics, and it’s very time consuming. In gymnastics, a lot of people only watch the Olympics every four years, and I feel like I’ve been able to use my platform to bring an audience to college gymnastics, and people are starting to see how amazing all these gymnasts are.”
Olivia Dunne pic.twitter.com/vymeqD6jEu
— HottieCelebs – Fan Account (@HottieCelebsFA) April 24, 2023
With the inclusion of the 20-year-old social media star, Sports Illustrated is undoubtedly beginning to tap into the younger demographic that has not latched on so firmly to written publications. Flaunting an impressive 11 million followers on social media, Dunne can reach audiences that previously would have never cared for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Sports Illustrated described the attributes that made them sure Dunne was the right woman for the job:
At first glance, Olivia Dunne is the quintessential girl next door—imminently approachable with her bright hazel eyes, shiny blond locks, petite 5′ 6″ frame and beaming smile. It’s part of what has attracted an impressive 11 million followers across her TikTok and Instagram handles, but don’t be fooled. The LSU gymnast, who is the top paid female collegiate athlete in the country, is much more than her social media and she’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind.
It will be exciting to see if this move brings Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition back into the same sphere of cultural relevance as it once had or if the internet has made this kind of publication completely obsolete.
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