London 2012 Olympic Athletes Now Hunting for Endorsement Gold

The five young women who won Olympic gymnastics gold for the United States in London were repeatedly called the Fab Five by television announcers and others. But that term has already been trademarked by basketball player Jalen Rose, who was on the 1991 Michigan team that used that same nickname.

So USA Gymnastics is planning to try and trademark the term “Fierce Five” to honor the team and make a few bucks in the process, according to Bloomberg. The team will have to battle for the trademark, though it will likely be easier than beating out Russia for the gold to get it.

A man in California who also filed for “lin-sensational” during all the Jeremy Lin hoopla in February, has already put his name in for the trademark. That trademark attempt may keep him from getting the “Fierce Five” trademark this time around, Bloomberg reports.

Don’t worry about these gals. Whether they get the trademark or not, they will each make more than $100,000 for taking part in a 40-city Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions that starts in early September. And they’re sure to be able to pick up other endorsement deals along the way.

Some who are having a more difficult time snagging endorsement deals, though, are Canadian Olympians. The Vancouver Sun reports that though the Canadian public loves the Olympics, “it's unlikely (any Canadian athletes will) be cashing in on their Summer Games success.”

Meanwhile, athletes in India have brands lining up to sign them to deals, according to the Times of India. Pretty sweet, considering that the team briefly threatened to boycott the Games due to the sponsorship by Dow Chemicals, which owns Union Carbide, a company whose 1984 Bhopal gas leak killed thousands of Indians.

The paper notes that advertisers “have consistently been biased towards Bollywood celebrities and cricketers for endorsements,” but will not try to sign a few Olympic athletes in a wide variety of sports.

That same variety won’t be on view for American consumers, though. As the Boston Globe notes, some sports are worth more to advertisers than others. Analysts tell the paper that gymnast Aly Raisman, who won individual gold for her floor routine and team gold as well, could make $4 million over the next four years in endorsements. Gabrielle Douglas, who's on the current cover of People magazine and coming to a Kellogg's Cornflakes cereal box, stands to earn millions in endorsement deals.

Kayla Harrison, the first US athlete to win a gold in judo, doesn’t have any brands pounding on her door, but can likely expect a payday around $100,000 to $250,000. Even if she gets no money, though, she’s got something most folks will never have: an Olympics gold medal.