LONDON — Not all gold medals are created equal.
For American gymnast Gabby Douglas, immortalized on a cereal box within hours of winning the all-around title at the Summer Games, her medal could be worth somewhere between $3 million and $10 million in endorsements during the next four years, depending on which marketing director you believe.
But for athletes who paddle a kayak or run the steeplechase, the relatively paltry United States Olympic Committee bonuses of $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze would help keep the lights on back home after leaving London 2012.
“A gold medal is a gold medal anywhere in the world,” U.S. gymnastics team guru Martha Karoyli happily shouted at me, echoing the traditional Olympic spirit, after Douglas won gold. “Money is not the motivation for winning a gold medal in America. Pride is the motivation.”
Pride matters.
But let’s be real: Keeping groceries on the table counts more.
That’s why Karoyli’s words, however well-intended, rang hollow.
If the Summer Games are the one time every four years an average American will sit in front of the television and watch a big man grunt and heave a shot put, then it’s obvious how essential these 16 days of competition is the income of athletes who aren’t household names.
The International Olympic Committee, however, would rather do right by McDonald’s and big-money sponsors than help an archer buy new tires for a truck parked in the driveway. That’s the way the world turns. It’s also the reason an Olympic athlete is strictly prohibited from using his own name, photo or achievement for advertising purposes during the Games.
The amateur ideal is honored on the judo mat, but not in the four-star hotels where IOC honchos sleep.
The USOC bonuses have not kept up with the rate of inflation. For example: Any Malaysian athlete who finishes first has been promised a gold bar worth $600,000 by a mine owner in Kuala Lumpur.
As I recently nibbled on finger food alongside two beach volleyball players from China, they were asked if it was true winning a first-place medal would garner a $1 million bonus at home. They responded simultaneously. Xue Chen said: “Yes.” Zhang Xi said: “No.”
Why the difference of opinion? Xue and Zhang explained. There will be no big check written in China. But gifts and perks could be very lucrative.
All Olympic gold medals shine. More often than not, however, the real monetary value of Olympic glory depends on the marketing power of the winner.
Tennis superstar Roger Federer played an epic match Friday on the Wimbledon grounds, battling four hours to defeat Juan Martin del Porto in the semifinals of the Olympic tournament.
It was tennis that stirred the soul, especially because you knew every ounce of sweat pouring out of Federer was 100 percent pure pride.
How do we know that’s true? Follow the money.
Win or lose at the Olympics, Federer will make $50 million this year.
He doesn’t need gold to pay the bills.
Mark Kiszla: 303-954-1053, mkiszla@denverpost.com or twitter.com/markkiszla
