The Rise of CrossFit Managers 

February 13, 2022 by
Cooper Marsh and Anikha Greer at Wodapalooza 2022 | Photo Credit: Athlete's Eye Photography

Scrolling through your Instagram feed in 2022, you’ll likely see your favorite athletes peddling a plethora of protein powders, gymnastics grips, booty shorts, earbuds, and just about every other product under the sun. But why is your favorite Icelandic native trying to sell you things, and when did this shift to influencer culture in the CrossFit space happen? Mikko Salo and Kristan Clever surely weren’t promoting brands from glamorous photoshoots on the Ranch in 2010.

The answer, of course, is money. CrossFit is now at a place where athletes can support themselves financially, but not solely through competition earnings. Sponsorships and contracts with major brands can be life changers for elite athletes, especially when it means getting to let go of their 9-to-5  jobs to focus solely on training. However, these deals aren’t as easy as a few Insta posts a week between back squat sets–there’s often an entire team behind your favorite athletes and  a growing management industry inside the CrossFit world that's bloomed alongside the influencer culture in the sport. 

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