Gabriel Medina went to the ISA World Surfing Games with one goal in mind: to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. He did everything in his power to make that happen. He won all eight of his heats to narrowly give Brazil’s men the edge over France. The reward was not just the individual gold medal, but the “extra” Olympic slot that was predetermined to go to Medina if it was conveyed.
It was an impressive performance under pressure that certainly pleased all the Olympic stakeholders. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the ISA, the WSL, sponsors, surf fans, and fellow Olympic surfers will all benefit from Medina’s iconic barrel-riding skills and star-status at Paris 2024.
Medina’s level of stardom, influence, and fame is unrivaled by any other surfer in the sport. He’s a household name in his surf-crazed home of Brazil and is used as the face of national advertising campaigns. He’ll be bringing his 11.5 million Instagram followers with him to tune into the Olympics, along with those of his high-profile friends in Brazil, like soccer star Neymar, who has 219 million Instagram followers of his own.
So, why is that important? First, the IOC needs to show value to their broadcast partners and sponsors. And with billions at stake, showing value is important, if not paramount. Value comes in the form of viewership, engagement, visibility, etc. Medina is the type of surfer that will cause the entire country of Brazil to turn on their TVs, post on social media, and visit the Olympic website. He has the star power to move the needle for a network like NBC. READ MORE FROM THE INERTIA
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