- Dunne has one final year of eligibility left at LSU if he wanted to
- The Tigers won the national championship last month with Dunne on the roster.
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Olivia Dunne has teased a ‘big announcement’ for tomorrow, as the LSU gymnast and social media sensation’s future plans have yet to be announced.
Dunne, 21, has nearly exhausted his college eligibility as his star power only grows, especially after LSU won a national title last month.
As arguably the biggest beneficiary of college sports during the name, image and likeness era, Dunne will continue to make money if he stays at LSU.
The 21-year-old social media sensation could also expand his reach even though he is no longer under NCAA guidelines.
Dunne does not have to hang up her Tigers leotard due to being given an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, delaying a possible end to her time on the balance beam until April 2025.
Dunne teased his big announcement on social media Tuesday without much of a clue.
Dunne was part of the LSU national championship team but did not compete in the finals.
Dunne’s current choice to be an LSU gymnast is paying off for her, so why not continue being a student-athlete for one more year with an NIL net worth of $3.7 million, per year? On3 Sports.
There is some credibility in leaving the sport at the top, as your chances of competing as a professional gymnast will be limited, if not non-existent.
Even if Dunne is willing to go out on her own, taking another 12 months to be protected by the NCAA banner and using that time to take advantage of more opportunities when she leaves Baton Rouge could be incredibly valuable.
Being at LSU could be sentimental for Dunne, who met her boyfriend Paul Skenes in Baton Rouge when he was a star on the school’s baseball team.
Dunne can stay at LSU and not miss most of Skenes’ games, since Major League Baseball’s Opening Day typically falls in late March or early April.
Dunne has the option of not returning to LSU and benefiting from his trademark deals without the NCAA.
On the other hand, Dunne has found a way to amass more than 13 million followers on Instagram and TikTok alone while balancing classes and athletics at LSU. What could she do without those restraints?
Dunne’s possibilities after LSU are endless, and his brand deals open up to bigger partnerships.
Although there is no professional gymnastics league, Dunne’s star power is undeniable. She could see a gain similar to Caitlin Clark.
Clark had an NIL with Nike while at Iowa, and recently signed a $28 million partnership with the company.
Dunne fans have been waiting for a hint of what he will do over the next year. Those answers seem not far away.
