Fred Richard, a U.S. men's gymnastics medalist, discusses ways to prevent his sport from slipping into obscurity after the Olympics.

• At the Paris Olympics, men's gymnastics experienced a breakthrough, with the U.S. national team earning their first medal since 2008.
• Fred Richard, a U.S. national team bronze medalist, aims to inspire children to embrace the sport, increase recognition for athletes, maintain Olympic excitement, and ultimately, promote professionalism in the sport.

Frederick Richard, a U.S. men's gymnastics team bronze medalist with millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram, has a signature bobblehead and six-figure brand deals across industries. Childhood photographs show him upside down in a handstand in his crib. After medaling at the Paris Olympics, Richard is focused on using his popularity to bring his sport to a wider audience.

Richard expressed his strong enthusiasm for altering the support system related to the sport in an interview with CNBC following the Olympics' conclusion.

Richard's social media posts highlight the lighter aspects of a challenging sport, showcasing flip challenges, joking around in practice, fails, and stunts with high production value. He described the sport as a "video game with a billion levels" in an interview with NBC before the Paris Games. In these challenges, he featured Olympic superstar Simone Biles, who dived for a football and jumped over boxes two times their height. Additionally, Richard has a team ready to launch a production company this fall.

The popularity of men's gymnastics is significantly lower than women's at the collegiate and international levels. Only 12,000 men were registered with USA Gymnastics competitions in 2023, compared to 138,000 women. However, Richard aims to increase the popularity of men's gymnastics by encouraging kids to join and fall in love with the sport, recognizing athletes, maintaining Olympic buzz, and eventually turning the sport professional.

The U.S. men's team has recently gained attention globally, as they won a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 games, marking their first team medal since 2008.

"Richard stated that the team's performance during the finals inspired many people and made them eager to support their journey in the sport. He added that it was unlikely that so many people had ever watched men's gymnastics and left feeling satisfied with their experience."

Richard stated that the increase in fan engagement resulting from the bronze medal could mark a turning point for men's college gymnastics prior to the 2025 Worlds. He explained that the NCAA and all schools evaluate each sport based on its ability to generate revenue and sustain a program.

Social media has made it easier for non-professionalized and non-televised Olympic sports to gain exposure, as seen in the success of Richard and other standouts like Ilona Maher, a content creator and USA women's rugby bronze medalist with a large following on social media.

Before the Olympics, Richard, a native of Massachusetts, emphasized to NBC Boston that it is crucial for young people to both participate and watch in order to grow the sport.

Richard and Maher, who possess personality traits, have the widest window to obtain sponsorships, which can help grow their audience and sport, according to Summer Sanders, a triple Olympic medalist who leads efforts for athletes transitioning to post-Olympic careers.

He now has deals with Marriott International, Crocs, and Celsius energy drinks, among others.

Richard stated that he views brand deals as a means to achieve his goal of growing the sport, rather than solely for financial gain. He has a family to manage his finances and has admitted to spending some of his newfound wealth on purchases typical of a college student.

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NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC, owns NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics holds the U.S. broadcast rights to all Summer and Winter Games through 2032.