• Loading stock data...
Thursday, November 7, 2024
DEADLINE EXTENDED: The Best Employers in Sports survey is now open through Nov. 13 Learn More

Gus Kenworthy Starts Next Chapter as Activist, Athlete, Actor

gus-kenworthy-business
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
gus-kenworthy-business

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

About three and a half years ago Gus Kenworthy, was the best freeskier in the world. And he was worried his career was cooked.

He was going to come out as gay. Nobody in his sport one in which athletes depend on endorsements to make a living had come out before. But he decided he couldn’t go on hiding his truth, especially after the increased limelight that followed his 2014 Olympic silver medal win.

Kenworthy expected to be a pariah. The exact opposite happened: He became more popular than ever.

“I really thought when I came out it was going to have the opposite effect, like, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to lose all my followers. My sponsors aren’t going to want to sponsor the gay guy,’” he told Front Office Sports in a recent interview.

READ MORE: ‘EuroLeague Rooks’ Docuseries Shines Light on Little-Seen Adversity

Instead, endorsers jumped at the chance to work with him.

“Brands heading into the 2018 Olympics, were like, ‘We want to tell a story of authenticity. We also want to tell a story of diversity and in the Winter Olympics there’s just not a lot of diversity.” he said. “So being openly gay actually really opened me up to a ton of endorsement opportunities and more media attention.”

Kenworthy has been sponsored by traditional skiing brands like Smith for his goggles and Atomic for his skis but also has done work with Monster Energy Drink, Ralph Lauren, Samsung and Toyota, among others. Perhaps his most noteworthy spot was a Head & Shoulders ad that made history by featuring a pride flag, which had never been done before in a national TV spot.

So, what’s next? Kenworthy is already about as decorated a skier as possible, having won five X Games medals, an Olympic medal and eight world championships. But he’s got goals outside the sport, too, and has become a leading advocate for LGBT+ causes and has jumped into the world of entertainment and acting.

This week he appeared on a panel at a New York summit for Out Leadership, a group that works to promote LGBT+ inclusion and leadership in the business and political world. The summit featured corporate executives and high-powered politicians. It also debuted a new business climate index ranking states on its treatment and inclusion of LGBT+ folks.

It was the sort of event and sorts of people to which Kenworthy is now granted access as a famous advocate. It’s a role he takes seriously.

“When I decided to come out publicly, I knew that I was going to be stepping into that [leadership] position, whether I wanted it or not,” he said. “There was a lot of people watching me. And I did want it. I wanted to be a positive influence. The thing I always say and I continually go back to is: I want to be, and hope to be, the version of myself that I needed when I was like 14.”

In that way, Kenworthy stands apart. He is the rare winter Olympian with a presence in front of sports fans and non-sports fans alike, whether that’s through his prowess on the slopes, his prolific Instagram presence or his work for the LGBT+ community.

[mc4wp_form id=”8260″]

“In the winter athlete space he has a unique stature because he came out,” said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing expert and creative director at Baker Street Advertising in San Francisco. “In a sport that has a once-every-four-years appeal, it’s difficult to maintain your popularity in between Olympics, especially because he didn’t win a gold medal… [He’s] not a top, top, top performer, let’s say. But what he did outside of the slope probably made him much more significant and brave and important than your average freestyle skier.”

Will Ober, the director of sports marketing at the firm Platinum Rye Entertainment, similarly called Kenworthy unique. Ober, who acquired talent for Procter & Gamble for the 2018 Olympics, landed the skier his Head & Shoulders ad by virtue of Kenworthy being relevant and having a unique story.

“And for Head & Shoulders, having great hair is obviously a key component,” he added, laughing.

The classic good looks and charisma have helped Kenworthy expand outside skiing. His hopes are to qualify for one last Olympics he’ll be 30 in 2020, old for his sport while also keeping his acting chops sharp.

“I hope by that point I’ll have gotten enough experience acting and playing these different roles that it’ll be able to be a seamless transition,” he said. “Kind of hang up my skis and know I have something in the works.”

So far, so good. He’s appeared as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race and will act in the next season of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story.  

Baker Street’s Dorfman did say there can be a career drawback to being a prominent LGBT+ figure. “[There] is a significant percentage of people out there, particularly in this Trumpian era, that will never give him the respect he deserves,” he said.

READ MORE: Sports World Takes on TikTok as Next Social Media Frontier

But if Kenworthy’s million-plus social followers are any indication, there are plenty of people who are drawn to him. It’s a busy life from the slopes, to a video shoot, to an audition, to a set, to back to the slopes–he has accomplished about everything one could hope for in athletics and is actively working to make a go of it in entertainment. It’s one longshot dream to the next. But the way his entire world shifted in 2015 is the throughline of it all.

“My dream acting role is honestly a superhero role. I know that it’s kind of cliché,” he said. “I know a lot of actors, the reason that they do superhero roles is because it’s an insane paycheck and it’s a huge audience.”

“But for me growing up, I really felt a sense of connection to superheroes because they had to hide their identity from everyone. They were one person in their real life — whether it was Clark Kent or whatever — then they had their alter ego as Superman or Spiderman or Batman and no one could know the two.”

But now, years removed from his decision to come out, everyone can know all sides of Gus Kenworthy. No alter ego necessary. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Surrounded by family members and supporters, Donald Trump makes his acceptance speech at his Election Night Watch Party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center after being elected the 47th President of the United States November 5, 2024.

Republicans Won Big in the 2024 Election. So Did the NCAA

“It’s a bad day to be a college athlete,” one staffer says.
Sep 1, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan addresses the gallery gathered on the 18th green after the final round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament.

Not So Fast: PGA Tour–LIV Merger Not Done Yet

Multiple industry sources say reports of professional golf’s unification are premature.

NFL Center Connor McGovern Is the Heir to a Potato Empire

The NFL vet’s family provides potatoes for McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and others.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Is Trump Recruiting Sports Figures for Future Cabinet?

0:00

Featured Today

Vanderbilt Commodores fans head to the south end zone as the goal post is taken down by exuberant fans after beating No. 1 Alabama 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
opinion

Something New in College Football This Year: Parity

Upsets, surprises. CFB is more fun on the field than the NFL.
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump waves flanked by former Georgia Bulldogs player Herschel Walker, recording art Kid Rock, professional golfer John Daily, Alabama senators Tommy Tuberville (R) and Katie Britt (R) during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
November 1, 2024

Mission Swing State: College Football’s Political Advertising Battle

Trump, Harris, and the PACs that support them are utilizing the sport.
October 31, 2024

The Untapped Revenue ‘Powder Keg’ of Women’s NFL Fandom

There’s a “boatload” of money at stake for brands and the league.
Donald Trump holding a basketball in the White House
October 30, 2024

Mavericks Owner’s $100 Million Trump Donation Dwarfs All Other Sports Owner Political Giving

Dr. Miriam Adelson is one of the most powerful donors in U.S. politics.

Raygun’s Viral Olympic Competition Will Be Her Last

She said the “level of scrutiny” will be higher since the Games.
Jan 22, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on after scoring during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center.
November 5, 2024

Joel Embiid Suspended Three Games for Shoving Journalist

The columnist wrote about Embiid’s son and late brother.
Charles Leclerc
November 7, 2024

F1 Is at War With Its Drivers Over Swearing: ‘Our Members Are..

“Our members are adults,” the drivers said in a statement.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
The start of the New York City Marathon
November 5, 2024

Influencer Matt Choi DQ’d and Banned From New York City Marathon 

Several people with Choi rode e-bikes and filmed him on the course.
Diamondbacks pitcher Jordan Montgomery
November 1, 2024

Jordan Montgomery Opts In With D-Backs After Owner Called Him ‘Our Biggest Mistake’

Montgomery went from World Series hero to dud in the desert. 
Caitlin Clark (left) and Kate Martin
October 28, 2024

Unrivaled Lands Caitlin Clark’s Pal With Three Spots Remaining

The upstart league announced its deal with Kate Martin on Monday.
Dwyane Wade statue unveiling, Oct. 27, 2024
October 28, 2024

The Dwyane Wade Sculptor Explains Himself

Wade was closely involved with the artists in the creation of the statue.