By: Valentina Cheng
For the past three months, Flavor Flav has struck a partnership with the U.S. women’s water polo team. At their 2024 game against Italy in the Paris Olympics, Flavor Flav showed his spirit with a personalized water polo cap jersey and a giant clock hung by a chain around his neck.
The goal for Flavor Flav is to help teams introduce themselves to new audiences because they are trying hard and should be appreciated for that hard work.
Although the team has been performing well for America , water polo lacks the same attention and sponsorship compared to gymnastics, track or swimming. Additionally the sport rarely appears in prime-time slots during NBC’s broadcast, the NYT conveyed.
The start of Flavor Flav’s partnership with the United States team started when the female water polo capitan Maggie Steffens posted on social media “asking for support” in May. After Flavor Flav’s manager showed him how many athletes had to balance training and multiple jobs, he quickly agreed to sponsor the team.
As stated in the NYT, in addition to the five-year agreement Flavor Flav announced, he would also donate $1,000 to each player and provide cruise vacations for their families.
His support has even spread through track & field after learning via social media that some athletes even have trouble paying rent, whereas other athletes were paid enough “to buy new cars and houses.” Flavor Flav replied to Veronica Fraley, a track athlete that competes in the discus throw, by helping her pay her rent, so she would be able to compete worry-free in the Olympics the following day.
“Women’s sports have always been around, and now there’s little bit of that light on it, the most important thing is honoring those legends that already have fought to get this light on them” said Steffens.
Flavor Flav said that he will support the U.S water polo through the 2028 Olympics, and that he would give a clock to each athlete if the water polo team won gold this year. He also has plans to release a remake of a song in dedication to women’s sports. This soundtrack is called “She Got Game” from Public Enemy.
Despite being less popular than mainstream sports, the enthusiastic and inspiring figure of Flavor Flav played a critical part in generating greater interest and exposure for the USA women’s water polo team.