Eileen Gu: A Commercial Powerhouse in Sports and Beyond

The 2026 Winter Olympics are underway, and The Athletic is providing live coverage of the events. In Forbes’ 2025 rankings of the world’s highest-paid female athletes, a unique name stands out among renowned tennis stars. Leading the list is Coco Gauff with a staggering $33 million earnings, followed by fellow tennis professionals Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Notably, freestyle skier Eileen Gu, with earnings of $23.1 million, is among the top earners despite being less known globally compared to her tennis counterparts.

Since winning two gold medals and a silver during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics at just 18, Gu has consistently ranked among the top five highest-paid female athletes each year. This year, she surpasses other prominent sports figures like Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, and Caitlin Clark in Forbes’ earnings list. Lindsey Vonn, another distinguished Winter Olympian, sits significantly lower on the list with $15 million less than Gu.

In sports marketing, Gu is a ‘perfect storm’ due to her dual American and Chinese heritage, which boosts her appeal across two of the world’s largest markets.

Despite her achievements in skiing, Gu earned a mere $0.1 million from actual skiing last year. The bulk of her $23 million income came from various off-field endorsements, comparable only to Gauff. As a fashion model under IMG, Gu has worked for notable brands such as Victoria’s Secret and Louis Vuitton, showcasing the commercial power of athlete-endorsements.

This is not unusual in women’s sports, where marketing off the field often surpasses earnings from the field. While tennis offers higher on-court earnings thanks to equal prize money since 2007, as seen in the Grand Slam tournaments, this does not apply across all events. For instance, Gauff earned $8 million in on-court winnings, while Sabalenka and Swiatek collected $15 million and $10.1 million respectively from competitions alone.

According to Josh Hershman, Global COO at Ten Toes sports marketing, female athletes are incredibly marketable. They have the celebrity allure that makes them ideal brand ambassadors, despite often having lower base salaries compared to their male counterparts. The disparity is evident when comparing the budgets of women’s sports teams to men’s, but sponsorship budgets for individual celebrity endorsements remain high.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Gu switched her representation to China, her mother’s native country, in 2019. Known by her Chinese name, Gu Ailing, she became renowned not just for her athletic prowess in executing exhilarating corkscrew maneuvers on skis but also for her commercial flair. Even as a teen, she graced the covers of numerous fashion magazines in China, foreshadowing her future success beyond skiing.

An insider perspective on her commercial allure reveals that Gu has a rare combination of talent and cross-cultural appeal. She enjoys a massive following on social media platforms like Weibo and Instagram, extending her influence across different demographics. Her remarkable commercial reach is not without challenges, having faced criticism in both China and the United States for her decision to represent China internationally.

Gu has addressed her critics, emphasizing her contributions to Chinese sports through her achievements and advocacy. Despite some controversies regarding her dual citizenship, she refrains from commenting on her official status, focusing instead on unifying aspects of her identity, saying she aligns with American and Chinese values depending on her location.

As the 2026 Winter Olympics draws attention to her competitive feats, Gu continues to captivate through social media with glimpses into her rigorous training and dynamic lifestyle. Her academic achievements at esteemed institutions like Stanford and Oxford, coupled with her athletic and modeling endeavors, resonate with aspiring younger audiences.

Even as Gu balances numerous commitments, her dedication to skiing is unwavering. Her passion for the sport remains her primary motivation, as demonstrated by her triumphant return from injury to clinch her 19th World Cup victory in December 2025.

Looking ahead, sports marketing experts predict Gu’s commercial viability will persist even if her athletic career were to end prematurely. Her strong personal brand and influence extend beyond skiing, emphasizing the growing cultural trend towards celebrity idols rather than team affiliations.

“My work is meaningful because of the positive impact it has not only on myself — mind and body — but also with the added privilege of reaching other people and contributing to the legacy of a sport,” wrote Gu, illustrating her commitment to making a lasting impact beyond financial gains.

For Gu, medals resonate deeply, embodying her dedication and resilience. Her story exemplifies how talent, strategic brand partnerships, and a compelling personal narrative can forge a formidable path in the modern sports landscape.