As everyone’s eyes are turned to Paris this summer for the 2024 Olympic Games, fan-favorite events and sports shine in the spotlight. Because of significant time differences between regions of America and France’s capital city, reruns and streams of many sports were widely available and played every day. 

Events such as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s record-breaking run in the 400m hurdle, Simone Biles and Suni Lee’s vault and bar routines, and Noah Lyles’ 5-thousandth of-a-second gold medal win were among American highlights at the Paris games. All of these are beloved household names, much in thanks to their Olympic coverage, whether in Paris or at a previous Olympics. These figures embody the fact that coverage defines many athletes’ success, especially regarding name recognition, brand deals and onlooker support. 

However, sports such as sailing, rowing and equestrian, received different media coverage from the more popular track and field, swimming and gymnastics. While many say this is because the United States does not typically dominate these sports, medals have been earned, such as the gold that the coxless four boat took home for the first time since 1960. 

So, the question becomes how media coverage can capitalize off the multitude of successes that American athletes have been bringing home versus overplaying the same wins on a loop. The American public has continuously shared their support for their representing athletes across social media platforms and viral TikToks no matter the sport — which begs the question, why not spread the fame so more athletes get recognition and can sustain their lives off of just their athletic performance?