COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO — The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee today announced the launch of Team USA Creators, a first-of-its-kind initiative allowing athletes and creators to give unprecedented access to fans. In an ever-evolving digital market, athletes are developing their skill sets as content creators more than ever, and fans across the world will get to experience the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 from a new perspective.
Team USA Creators will debut at Paris 2024, with 12 creators on the ground providing never-before-seen content and access. Six athletes and creators will cover the Olympic Games, while an additional six will cover the Paralympic Games – all ready to document the Games on their various social media channels through the unique lens each of them brings to the program, enabled by exclusive access provided by the USOPC and NBCUniversal.
The inaugural class of Team USA Creators
Team USA Creators – Olympic Games:
- Missy Franklin Johnson (@missyfranklin88) – Five-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, co-host of Unfiltered Waters podcast
- Katie Hoff (@kthoff7) – Three-time Olympic medalist in swimming, co-host of Unfiltered Waters podcast
- Heimana Reynolds (@heimana_reynolds) – Olympic skateboarder in the Tokyo 2020 Games, TikTok and Instagram creator
- Alex Shibutani (@alexshibutani) – Two-time Olympic medalist in ice dancing, photographer, Instagram creator
- Maia Shibutani (@maiashibutani) – Two-time Olympic medalist in ice dancing, Instagram creator
- Ari Chambers (@ariivory) – Multimedia journalist and creator, founder of HighlightHER
Team USA Creators – Paralympic Games:
- Chuck Aoki (@chuckaoki) – Three-time Paralympic medalist in wheelchair rugby, Instagram creator
- Dani Aravich (@theonearmdan) – Two-time summer and winter Paralympian, multimedia creator, Paralympic Round-Up series co-host
- Tara Davis-Woodhall (@_taarra_) – Olympic long jumper in the Tokyo 2020 Games, co-host of Tara and Hunter YouTube channel
- Mike Schultz (@monstermikeschultz) – Three-time Paralympic medalist in Para snowboarding, author, Instagram creator
- Brody Roybal (@brodyusa4) – Three-time Paralympic medalist in sled hockey, co-creator of Menecis and Brody TikTok channel
- Menecis Garriga (@menecisss_cx) – Co-creator of Menecis and Brody TikTok channel
These 12 creators will be in Paris to watch different competitions, engage with athletes, and visit different Team USA venues, including Team USA House, Team USA Welcome Experience, Team USA High Performance Center, and more. Paris 2024 will mark the first time creators have been given this type of access.
“Katie and I are thrilled to be included in this inaugural class of Team USA Creators,” said Missy Franklin Johnson. “Given that we know what it’s like to compete on the biggest stage, we’re excited to use that experience to our advantage to create content and interview currently competing athletes from an athlete perspective, to show fans all over the world just what it takes to be an Olympian or Paralympian.”
“I’ve loved creating content, raising disability visibility, and engaging with fans on social media on the road to Paris, so participating in Team USA Creators will be the perfect way to conclude the Paralympic Games,” added Chuck Aoki.
In addition to Team USA Creators, NBCUniversal recently announced its Paris Creator Collective program, which will include an additional 27 content creators at the Olympic Games in partnership with Meta, Overtime, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. Fans can expect to see some collaborative content developed between the two groups to bring even more excitement to how the Games can be followed.
“Elevating athlete voices as storytellers is a big priority for us, as is reaching Team USA fans where they are, and we’re excited to connect the two with the launch of Team USA Creators,” said Jess Park, chief of brand and fan engagement at the USOPC. “This behind-the-scenes look from the perspective of athletes who have been there before is going to be a great new way to follow the Games this summer.”
In the leadup to the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 on July 26, fans are encouraged to follow all the creators participating in Team USA Creators and NBCUniversal’s Paris Creator Collective, as well as @TeamUSA and @NBCOlympics, who will be amplifying and collaborating with the creator content, to ensure that they don’t miss a minute of the action.
