Hayley Peirsol (not surprising since she was a senior), Whitney Myers (again a senior), and Jessica Hardy - that one surprised me. Best of luck to them.
Is anyone else wondering whether the market for pro swimmers is getting a little saturated? It's hard for me to believe there's room for more than a handful of swimmers to make a decent living off swimming. I don't know, it just seems like there are more and more athletes trying to get a piece of pie that started out pretty small to begin with.
I wondered the same thing as Kirk. How many pro swimmers can there be? But maybe you're right, Kyra.
I wonder about the timing of the contract signings ... right before Worlds. Are they gambling they'll do well or not so well.
I read somewhere that Jessica Hardy is never coming back from Australia.;)
Well let's put one rumour to bed...I was offered a contract but I had to say no because it invovled too much travel...
:rofl:
That's a real shame that Speedo had to go with their second choice: Michael Phelps. :)
Not exactly on topic of the thread, but re: Rich's comment about racing an Olympian.
My sister and I went to the Swim with the Stars tour after the 2004 Olympics. We saw Phelps, Ian Crocker, and Lenny Krayzelberg (sp?). Watching them swim on TV just doesn't do them justice. The pool we went to was long course and watching them swim long course seemed like watching normal folk (i.e. us) swim short course. That is, their strokes were so long and they appeared so big in the water... it was unreal.
Back to the thread, re: money available for swimmers to go pro... why do you think those Fastskins cost $300+??? :D :D Just kidding...
Speaking of swimmers who have gone this route, I googled Amanda Beard the other day and she was quoted recently as saying that she is swimming 5 hrs a day and has her sights set for Beijing. If so, and if she can perform to earliers times, what a outstanding US Trials it could be.
5 hours a day?! I thought she won her last gold in the 200 *** on much less yardage/time in the pool. Maybe it's not all swimming, but dryland, etc. Where is she training now? Not with Salo anymore? I guess this will cut into her modeling time ...
Is anyone else wondering whether the market for pro swimmers is getting a little saturated? It's hard for me to believe there's room for more than a handful of swimmers to make a decent living off swimming. I don't know, it just seems like there are more and more athletes trying to get a piece of pie that started out pretty small to begin with.
Good Point. But they also can't turn pro unless they get an offer from a company right? So if the companies keep offering, then athletes will keep signing. They may be making less, but they're still getting paid to swim. I bet this has been talked about in contract negotiations though. They might also be using them to model other things the company makes. Face it, they have great bodies and are generally pretty good looking people, so why not use them to sell everything you make instead of strictly swim gear....except in the case of Speedo since as far as I know they dont' make anything else.
I think most of them don't make enough to actually live off it though. I think Nathan has said that Megan doesn't actually make enough money to live off of as a "pro" swimmer. She is Speedo sponsored too.
I think only the Phelps and Coughlins of the world make enough to live off of it ...
Keep in mind it's the year before the Olympics this is the time to do it.
That's a real shame that Speedo had to go with their second choice: Michael Phelps. :)
Well he's not me but he's very good... ;)
I'd love to race once of the olympians just to see how far ahead they finished.
