Nick Symmonds gets more than $21,000 in auction for arm space
The tattoo may only be temporary but the marketing effect is long lasting
Nick Symmonds is a two-time Olympian known not only for being a national champion, but also as being an outspoken rebel in the track and field community. In 2012, Symmonds made headlines for auctioning off arm space for a temporary corporate tattoo that included a logo and Twitter handle to buck his federations sponsorship regulations.Â
The middle-distance runner was back at it Thursday when he announced that he was again auctioning off arm real-estate for the 2016 IAAF season.
I'm selling my body on <a href="https://twitter.com/eBay">@ebay</a>, again. Hurry, reserve price is only $0.99! 😜 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OwnYourSkin?src=hash">#OwnYourSkin</a> <a href="https://t.co/UKA4yLn7Ah">https://t.co/UKA4yLn7Ah</a> <a href="https://t.co/80cGleTyAc">pic.twitter.com/80cGleTyAc</a>
—@NickSymmondsSymmonds has been on the front lines of the #OwnYourSkin movement which demands that the IOC share 50% of their revenue directly with the athletes and allocate a space for each Olympic athlete to sell to his or her sponsors.Â
If the IOC shared 50% of its 4 billion 2016 revenue with the athletes it would write a $190,000 check to every single Rio Olympian. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a>
—@NickSymmonds
I hope IAAF, USATF, USOC, or IOC wins the eBay auction. Then they will learn how it feels to have their logo taped over. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OwnYourSkin?src=hash">#OwnYourSkin</a>
—@NickSymmondsCheck out how much the runner was able to get for his primo arm real-estate:
Sold!<br><br>$21,800 for real estate on <a href="https://twitter.com/NickSymmonds">@NickSymmonds</a>' shoulder <a href="https://t.co/ug87TeI6e2">pic.twitter.com/ug87TeI6e2</a>
—@SRubinroitHanson Dodge, the creative agency that won the auction ahead of the London Games, forked over roughly half of what the 2016 winner paid. Hanson Dodge has since released multiple testimonials about the success of the partnership with the Olympian in spite of the white tape.
Looks like we got a bargain back in 2012 with our winning bid of $11k. <a href="https://t.co/EIJ5UUcgrT">https://t.co/EIJ5UUcgrT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OwnYourSkin?src=hash">#OwnYourSkin</a> 💪 <a href="https://t.co/MjgK38tb2X">pic.twitter.com/MjgK38tb2X</a>
—@hansondodgeSo who won this Olympic cycle's auction? None other than T-Mobile CEO John Legere, who seems to be considering trolling AT&T on the runner's arm.Â
Now that I’ve purchased a spot on 2x Olympian, <a href="https://twitter.com/NickSymmonds">@NickSymmonds</a>’ arm, help me decide what the tattoo should be of! GO!
—@JohnLegereDo you think Olympians should be allowed to advertise for their own sponsors during Games time? Let us know in our poll.