Shannon Sharpe and his podcast co-host Chad Johnson recently made a bold pledge to support U.S. Olympians by offering $25,000 for winning gold medals in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Sharpe went even further, promising $50,000 for any American athlete who set a world record.
The inspiration for this generous offer stemmed from the relatively low payouts American medalists receive compared to other countries. The U.S. offers $37,500 for a gold medal, a figure dwarfed by Singapore’s $737,000 payout for first place. Motivated to bridge this gap, Sharpe decided to dig into his own pockets to reward the nation’s top athletes.
On the Nightcap Show podcast, Sharpe declared, “You win the gold, you get $25,000. And I’ll pay $50,000 to any American who breaks a world record, I don’t give a damn what the event is!”
This commitment was put to the test when long-distance runner Cole Hocker achieved a stunning upset in the men’s 1500-meter race, setting a new Olympic record and securing a gold medal. Social media was quick to remind Sharpe of his promise.
“@NightcapShow_ @ShannonSharpe @ochocinco U owe another 50k unc to Cole Hocker he just set a new 1500M RECORD,” one user tweeted.
Sharpe, however, clarified his stance on X (formerly Twitter): “Was it WR? I SPECIFICALLY SAID WORLD RECORD!!!!!” Despite the impressive Olympic record, it didn’t meet the world record criterion Sharpe had specified.
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As a result, Hocker won’t receive the $50,000 from Sharpe, but he will still pocket the $25,000 for his gold medal victory.
Sharpe and Johnson’s commitment to supporting U.S. athletes is adding up, especially with Team USA leading the medal count with 24 golds and 86 total medals. The financial commitment for the Nightcap Show duo now totals $600,000 each, demonstrating their significant investment in the success of American Olympians.
