As the 2024 SportsPro rankings are unveiled, Biles solidifies her status as the pinnacle of commercial value in sports

In a stunning display of market prowess, Simone Biles has once again claimed her position as the world’s most commercially valuable athlete, leaving renowned stars like Lionel Messi and Vinicius Junior in her wake. With an impressive score of 96.16 out of 100, Biles cements her legacy as a powerhouse in sports marketing.

Vinicius Jr and Messi: The challengers

Following Biles, Brazilian sensation Vinicius Junior secured the second spot with a strong 91.52, while football legend Lionel Messi has slipped to fifth place with 89.67. Biles’s dominance highlights a remarkable shift in the commercial landscape, showcasing the rising influence of female athletes.

Also making headlines is Caitlin Clark, who debuts in fourth place with a commendable 90.26. Her rapid ascent signals a new era for women in sports, challenging the long-standing male-dominated narratives.

A balanced representation in rankings

The 2024 rankings reveal a noteworthy gender balance, featuring 28 male and 22 female athletes. This shift emphasizes the increasing recognition and value of female athletes in the commercial arena.

The rankings are determined through a comprehensive evaluation of brand strength, market potential, and economic impact, offering insights into each athlete’s commercial worth.

With the sports sponsorship market projected to soar to $102 billion by 2030, brands are keen to align themselves with top athletes, making this year’s rankings more crucial than ever. As the full list of the top ten most marketable athletes of 2024 is revealed, the spotlight remains firmly on Simone Biles as she continues to redefine what it means to be a leading force in sports marketing.

As if getting a special gift from your boyfriend who just returned from a successful European campaign was enough! Just moments after revealing the surprise she received from Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles had another major news to share with her fans, and this time, the achievement came as a nod to the struggles she went through in her life.

In her recent Instagram story, the Olympian shared the major milestone the recently released documentary Simone Biles: Rising has achieved. Revealing that the Netflix show has bagged a Best Sports Documentary nomination at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Biles also expressed her elation over it. “My jaw just dropped,” her jubilation is understandable, and the 7x Olympic gold medalist doesn’t even try to hide her ecstatic feeling.

Biles shared an Instagram post by Katie Walsh, the director of the Netflix docu-series, which broke the news first. “So honored to be nominated for TWO @criticschoice documentary awards and in company with an amazing collection of films!” the film director wrote in her post. Obviously, the gymnast couldn’t hold back on her happiness, especially considering that the show only has one season till now.

And in her social media update, Biles also pointed it out, noting how special it feels for her as well. “So grateful & blessed,” the Houston native remarked in her IG story from today. Her latest milestone will surely give Simone something to gloat about as she travels across the country with her Gold Over America Tour squad helping the sport to gain more exposure. While Jonathan Owens’ wife is justifiably having a hard time holding back on her emotions, the triumph of the Netflix documentary will once again reaffirm the faith Walsh has in the gymnast’s prowess, and how she commends the struggles Biles has gone through.

Walsh’s admiration of Simone Biles bolstered

While the 27-year-old gymnastics GOAT’s performance in Paris for the 33rd Olympic Games was emphatic, it was even sweeter for those who remembered how things transpired in Tokyo three years ago. Biles’ run-in with the twisties caused her to lose her focus and she pulled out of the final. While her coach and family stood by her decision the fans’ view of it wasn’t the same. They were quick to slam Simone as a quitter, claiming that leaving her teammates to fend for themselves in the final wasn’t a very nice move. The collective clamor sent the WCC gymnastics into a hiatus, only to return after a couple of years and reinstate herself as the greatest star of the sport that there ever was.

Returning after three long years, the Gold Over America Tour is mesmerizing fans across the USA. Led by the enigmatic Simone Biles, the pop-styled show is showcasing the best of the sport in all its glory. However, the daunting pressure to keep the followers entertained doesn’t mean the squad can’t have fun on the road.

The GOAT gymnasts have been showing off their skills in the best way possible in the best venues across the country. Along with providing a thrilling experience to the fans, it is also proving to be a great time for the stars to bond. And now, as another BTS clip surfaces from the Biles & Co. camp, fans can’t help but affirm the Texan’s elite status once again.

Simone’s colleague Ian Gunther recently shared a clip on Instagram highlighting how the GOAT gymnasts keep pushing each other to a greater standard. The social media post from October 8 shows Gunther, Biles, Joscely Roberson, and others trying their hands at a standing 1-and-a-1/2. While all others make a list of mistakes during the attempt, the 7x Olympic gold medalist executes the move with precision.

In the clip, it can be seen only Biles manages to land the move, while Yul Moldauer, Roberson, Gunther, and Casimir Schmidt all fail to do so. After her success, Simone noted that she wanted to take things further and claimed that she would like to try out the move on the beam as well. “I’m just a girl,” she jays jubilantly afterward.

Naturally, fans were delighted to see Biles doing what she does best: prove her superiority at every chance she gets. Claudio, like many of us, is stunned at how gracefully Simone can pull off even the most demanding skills with ease. “The girl is a freak of nature,” said the fan in the comments, hailing her as a true once-in-a-generation talent, and others vehemently agreed.

he gymnastics community is once again bowled over by Simone Biles

“She the goat for a reason!!” proclaimed Kyla and Biles’ stats would confirm her statement. With 30 Olympic and World Championships gold medals to her name, Simone would still be the best American gymnast even if she didn’t compete at the 2024 Paris Games. With her triumphs in Paris, she has sealed herself as the best in the world, and Kyla’s comment reflects the sentiment of the community in general.

The Houston native has five skills named after her, a rare milestone for any gymnast. And now, as she expressed her wish to attempt the standing one-and-a-half on the beam, fans can’t help but speculate if a sixth Biles skill is on its way. “Omg ON BEAM! Could be the next Biles skill!” exclaimed another fan, and we’re just as excited to know for ourselves! “i think i would have an actual heart attack if she did that on beam,” said Georgie, noting how difficult the move looked on the mat.

The legendary gymnast hints at her future, leaving fans wondering if she’s really done with the sport.

Simone Biles has once again taken the gymnastics world by storm, winning four medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. But as soon as the games ended, the focus quickly shifted to one pressing question: Is Simone Biles retiring? Despite being only 27, speculation around Biles‘ retirement has intensified, largely due to the sport’s history of short athletic careers.

Biles, however, isn’t ready to hang up her leotard just yet. “In gymnastics, the longevity has never been there,” she explained in a recent interview, adding, “This isn’t normal what we’re doing.” Indeed, Biles‘ incredible comeback after stepping away from the Tokyo Olympics due to mental health struggles was nothing short of extraordinary.

Plus, Rebeca Andrade on her future in the sport and a look back at Elena Grudneva from the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona

Seven-time Olympic gymnastics gold medallist Simone Biles has her next endeavour: a new restaurant, aptly named “Taste of Gold,” inside Houston Intercontinental Airport.

The venture is in partnership with The Playmakers Group and is set to open in early 2025.

“I am a foodie at heart,” Biles said in the press release. “And our hope with Taste of Gold is to offer a beautiful dining experience that features award-winning, signature menu items with some of my favourite flavours sprinkled in for our guests.”

According to the release, Taste of Gold will celebrate Biles’s remarkable global achievements. The chef-crafted menu will feature signature food and beverage items curated by restaurant industry innovator Mark Brezinski and created to ‘wow’ every traveller.

Embarked on the Gold Over America Tour

Beyond her Olympic ambitions, one of Simone Biles‘ big dreams was to tour the U.S. Now, that dream is coming true as she embarks on the Gold Over America Tour (GOAT), traveling to 30 cities to connect with fans. Biles is currently in Los Angeles, meeting the supporters who have cheered her on, especially after her standout performances at this summer’s Paris Olympics.

With 11 Olympic medals under her belt, Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history, and fans are eagerly speculating about what’s next.

Biles’ future plans

In Paris, Biles clinched four medals: three golds (Team, All Around, Vault) and a silver in Floor, fueling excitement about her potential appearance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. While many see her as a natural contender, Biles recently shared some insight into her future plans that leaves room for possibility.

“It’s like I can never get a break; it’s we won at the Olympics, and then it’s like it’s living in the moment, taking in everything day by day, and just doing the celebration tour with the cast and the audience,” Biles told Young Hollywood on YouTube.

After withdrawing from several events at the Tokyo Olympics due to the “Twisties,” a spatial disorientation that affected her performance, Biles made a triumphant comeback in Paris. However, she remains cautious about her next steps. Speaking to USA Today, Biles hinted at participating in LA 2028, saying, “Never say never.”

By 2028, Biles would be 31, making her the oldest all-around Olympic gymnastics champion in over 70 years. While she’s weighing the demands of the sport and taking time before committing to the LA Games, Biles remains open-minded about her future, showing that her journey – both in and out of gymnastics – is still unfolding.

Simone Biles proved again during the Paris Olympics why she’s considered the best in business. Coming from a bittersweet Tokyo Olympics, she had some people speculating whether she would be at her best this time. However, she ended up shutting down those speculations quickly, winning four medals—3 gold and one silver—in the competition, proving to the world once again that she was the greatest of all time.

Now, to honor her achievements, a company has come forward to honor her. Designsbysantwon, a company that designs rings for winners of competitions, has designed ‘5 CUSTOM CUT STONE’ gold rings for Simone Biles to hopefully present to her. All the rings have the central theme of having both Simone and the Paris Olympics in them.

For example, one ring has Biles written in it with the Eiffel Tower designed in the background. Another has Simone written with the colors of an American flag. The company said that they wanted to gift these rings to Simone Biles herself. “This concept, Should the Queen accept, will be 100% GIFTED✨ REAL GOLD for the REAL DEAL🙌🏿.” They asked the people who were commenting under the post to tag Simone so that this could reach her.

The company was successful in its pursuit, as Simone commented within an hour of the post being uploaded with a shocked reaction, “😱😱😱😱” It is unclear when the gymnast will receive the rings now that she’s embarking on the Gold Over America tour. But it is a great gift to her for her achievements. The company has designed rings for numerous other competition-winning teams.

Numerous other teams have designed their rings from the company. This includes numerous cheerleading teams like the Sassycats, who became eight-time NCA All-Star National Champions. Roosevelt University, who won the NCA Collegiate National Championship in 2024, the 2024 NHSCC National Champions High School Bobcats, and Team Australia, who won the 2024 ICU World title, are some of their other clients.

However, they won’t be taking any compensation for the rings presented to Simone Biles and want to gift them to her for her incredible achievements. This continues the long list of people who have congratulated and paid tribute to Simone Biles after her incredible Paris Olympics campaign. This list includes not only fans of the gymnast but also celebrities who don’t seem to get enough of her either.

Numerous celebrities paid tribute to Simone Biles for her Olympics campaign

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens are tied at heart. But for now, professional commitments have positioned the much-in-love pair a few long-haul flights away from each other. As the elite gymnast is touring city to city with her Gold Over America Tour squad,  the Chicago Bears’ star enters week 3 of the 2024 NFL season. However, the couple lives to redefine the ‘out of sight out of mind’ theory, for they might be miles apart, but are always in each other’s thoughts.

Squeezing time out of her Arizona stop, Biles visited the famous tattoo artist Sydney Smith to get her husband’s initial tattooed on her ring finger recently. The moment she landed in San Francisco, she called Owens, who woke up from his sleep and went like, ‘Im going to cry, I’m going to cry.’ You’d think that’d be enough to symbolize her love? She even added a ‘Made in heaven’ on the back of her neck. Well, if she goes all the way to make him feel special, a huge possibility indicates that she might go the extra mile to stop by his game too. How does that work out? Well, here are the odds.

Possibility of where they’ll meet

September 16, Simone Biles’ GOAT tour kicked off from Oceanside, a day after Jonathan had his Sunday game against the Houston Texans. Thus, the gymnast was probably settling down in California while her husband fought against her home team. While that was a missed chance, a few windows are opening up, the one with the highest probably on September 29.

• The first possibility (September 21-September 22) Biles returns to the SAP Center, a special arena for her on September 21, for the GOAT tour stop. Whereas the Bears play the Indianapolis Colts the next day, September 22. However, it’s highly unlikely she will fly 5+ hours and then back to Salt Lake City, Utah for her performance at the Maverik Center the next day.
• The second possibility (September 29) Fate aligns as such that Simone Biles arrives in Chicago, the 9th destination of the GOAT tour, the same day as Owens has his match against the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field. While the NFL game begins at 12 pm, Biles 110 minute long gymnastics gala begins at 7 pm. Also, the distance between the United Center and Soldier field is approximately 5 miles, achievable in 10 minutes. Thus, the logistics don’t seem an issue, as it is easily manageable for her to make it in time.