Canadian athlete Alysha Newman, an Olympic medallist at Paris 2024 in the pole vault, has become one of the athletes looking to make money off the field and track.
Newman turned to the platform OnlyFans to start funding her sporting career in a world where sponsorship and financial support is increasingly hard to come by.
Alysha joined the adult-only platform in 2021, which caught the attention of the community among athletes as she sought a new way to increase her purchasing power, as well as to connect in a more direct and intimate way with fans.
The Canadian athlete’s decision has sparked controversy among her peers who have to redefine their financial independence in a digital age and challenge the traditions of securing sponsorships and connecting with fans.
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Alysha Newman’s explanation after joining OnlyFans
In episode 21 of the You Only Die Twice (YODT) podcast, Newman talked about everything that has happened since she joined OnlyFans, and when asked about her decision to join the platform, she was honest and straightforward in her response.
“Because it was something that put my business skills to work, I thought, how can I benefit from a Covid Olympics?” said Newman, who added that it was his own idea, and not a recommendation from someone else.
“In fact, I posted it on Instagram and my agents at the time called me and said, ‘What are you doing?’ This is exactly what I want to do,” he explained.
“For me, it was the question of how can I get my fans to come with me to the Olympics. Because there was Covid, there was no ticket sales; there was nothing, so I thought: ‘Can I share my experience and do a little blog and get paid while I’m there?'”.
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When the Covid pandemic restrictions ended, far from abandoning her new project, the Canadian saw it as an opportunity and created her new identity. She therefore shared her experience and even got paid for it.
“People were already following me in my sport and on OnlyFans, plus I wanted to make money because I didn’t have many sponsors to go to the Olympics. It was 2021 and nobody knew what was going on,” said Newman, who looked for a way to share her Olympic experience and show her fans the Olympic Village through virtual reality.
A slip in Tokyo 2020 and viral twerking at Paris 2024
However, luck was not on her side during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which were held in 2021, as she slipped in the shower of her hotel room while attending the 2021 Drake Relays and suffered a concussion.
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Newman did not give up and continued her preparation to win the World Athletics Indoor Tour 2023 with a jump of 4.78m, and won bronze at Paris 2024 with a new Canadian national record.
Newman’s celebration went viral as she celebrated with a twerking much to the delight of fans and the media alike.