I'll post more later on. Busy for the day. I know a fair amount about this, and about some of the athletes' situations.
The game has changed drastically over the past 10-15 years. It's totally different in terms of how much money there is, where it comes from, and how it gets ultimately "distributed." The numbers and types of sponsors, how they estimate, value and compensate for value, etc. Let's say that the way the ski/boot companies compensate is the most different.
The other sources of income can be substantial. There was no RedBull years ago. Nike? Under Armor., etc. It goes on and on. Rolex, Longines. The checks being cashed by the best are many, big, and from many sources.
Yes Social Media is beyond huge and important on this. LV's near 2Mil Insta followers have set her up to grow that number and likely explode her post race career income. Not all of the ski companies are the same, or even close in terms of how they value an athlete.
Anybody familiar with the Pareto Rule, the 85/15 principle? Well in the ski equipment and money side of things far FEWER than 15% of those who are in the game {think top 100 world ranking at most} are earning far more than 85% of the total compensation.
In terms of total income, LV and MS are doing just fine. In terms of money from the ski contracts, LV does lag Svindal by a bunch, as does MS lag MH. By a great deal, I believe. Many factors. Now with their new owners, who knows which way Atomic will head with this down the road. They feel even less like an Austrian company, an their presence son the WC seems to be diminished.....below the top rungs.
So much change. I'll say that the people who frequent this place are absolutely not the "average" in terms of awareness of who these people are. We're the biggest ski market in the world and if you held up pictures of Hircher and Svindal in lifelines, those recognizing them work be in a very distinct and tiny minority. Not the case with LV and MH, and absolutely not the case in Europe. As mentioned LV and now in particular, MS, are incredibly hot commodities. MS is probably being instructed to learn to speak German in addition to her French.
It's a different game than when the dream of most Euro skiers was to be able to build a very small guestHaus in their home village and teach in or run a ski school. Many on the WC won't have a chance of that. Then to whom the money is really flowing......yeah. Different. Svindal is already successful in the Private Equity and Venture Capital business. He will also earn a fortune in personal appearances and speaking fees.
Bode? Diifferent.