Sports Financing Solution: Fayder streamlines fan and athlete interactions, aiming to resolve financial issues in the sports industry
For Olympic hopeful Vwaire Obukohwo, a 23-year-old rower from south-west London, the journey to the LA 2028 Olympics is fraught with financial difficulties. Limited central funding often fails to cover basic living expenses, as exemplified by Obukohwo's struggle to afford her weekly food shop due to the current cost of living crisis.
Enter Fayder, a platform designed to connect fans directly with athletes to help address these financial challenges. Founded by Ben Toland, the platform functions as a fan and athlete platform specifically aimed at tackling sports funding problems.
Toland's vision for Fayder is to turn passive spectators into active stakeholders who feel part of the athlete's journey. This vision was inspired by the last Ryder Cup, where celebrities like Peter Jones got to walk the course behind Team Europe's players. Fayder offers multiple tiers of access for athletes, ranging from direct messaging to in-person coaching sessions, at ascending price points.
Obukohwo is the first athlete to join Fayder, seeing it as a chance to engage with a supportive community and boost the visibility of her and the sport of rowing. She believes that building a support network on the platform will alleviate her financial pressure and make her Olympic dreams more achievable.
Toland believes that real sports fans would rather support athletes for their talent, hard work, and ambition, not for explicit content. This sentiment is echoed by Obukohwo, who states that financial help from Fayder means she will be able to live a happier life.
Fayder is currently supporting a handful of athletes, including Obukohwo's fellow rower Jade Lindo, and is in talks with GB competitors from track and field and snowsports. The platform aims to continue expanding, providing a much-needed solution for athletes like Obukohwo who strive for Olympic glory but struggle with financial pressures.
Polling for City AM showed public support for more funding for GB athletes. As the financial challenges faced by athletes continue to grow, innovative solutions like Fayder are becoming increasingly important in helping athletes achieve their dreams and providing fans with a meaningful way to support their favourite athletes.
[1] Central funding for athletes often does not cover basic living expenses. [2] Fayder offers multiple tiers of access for athletes, enabling fans to support athletes financially. [3] Fayder aims to expand and support more athletes in their pursuit of Olympic glory.
- With central funding usually insufficient to cover basic living expenses, platforms like Fayder, which offer multiple tiers of access for athletes, provide a critical means for fans to offer financial support.
- As the financial burdens on athletes escalate, innovative solutions such as Fayder become ever more important, offering athletes a way to engage with a supportive community and alleviate financial pressures, making their dreams of Olympic glory more attainable.
- From rowers to track and field athletes and snowsport competitors, Fayder aims to continue expanding its network, providing a much-needed insurance policy for athletes trying to achieve their sports finance dreams while offering fans an opportunity to play an active role in their journey.
