Elite women athletes are juggling side jobs and roommates to keep pace with the cost of living, particularly in Southern California, where many beach volleyball players train and live.<\/p>\n
Now, a growing number are turning to OnlyFans to close the gap.<\/p>\n
Professional beach volleyball player Avery Poppinga estimates she spends nearly $50,000 a year on flights, hotels, coaching, gym memberships, and gear, largely out of her own pocket, just to continue competing at the professional level.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old estimates she spends nearly $50,000 a year largely out of her own pocket. Aaron Gillions\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n
Avery Poppinga during the World beach volleyball pro tour in New Zealand. Aaron Gillions\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n
Poppinga, who graduated from Loyola Marymount University, joined the subscription platform in 2024 after a fellow beach volleyball pro suggested it as a way to earn extra income while she worked a remote job on the side.<\/p>\n
In February 2025, she signed an official sponsorship deal with the company through OFTV, OnlyFans\u2019 safe-for-work streaming division. The agreement includes social media promotion, branded merchandise worn during tournaments, and video content production.<\/p>\n
OnlyFans, long associated with adult entertainment, has quietly expanded into sports sponsorships over the last two years. The platform now works with roughly 285 professional athletes, according to a company spokesperson, including competitors in surfing, speedskating, tennis, motorcycle racing, bobsledding, ultrarunning, and cliff diving.<\/p>\n
OnlyFans, long associated with adult entertainment, has quietly expanded into sports sponsorships over the last two years. Christopher Sadowski<\/p>\n
A growing number of elite athletes are turning to OnlyFans to close the financial gap. Sheldon Cooper\/SOPA Images\/Shutt<\/p>\n
The company says it is especially focused on helping athletes in niche sports where traditional funding opportunities remain limited.<\/p>\n
That financial strain is especially visible in beach volleyball.<\/p>\n
Despite being one of the Olympics\u2019 most-watched events, the sport receives little national television coverage outside the Games, limiting exposure and sponsorship revenue for players trying to build careers.<\/p>\n
USA Volleyball reportedly provides stipends to only its top four teams, leaving many athletes to finance the rest themselves.<\/p>\n
Poppinga\u2019s OnlyFans presence now serves as a meaningful income stream. Her free page has drawn more than 17,000 followers, many funneled there through Instagram and OFTV promotions.<\/p>\n
Poppinga, who graduated from Loyola Marymount University, joined the subscription platform in 2024. Aaron Gillions\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n
Poppinga\u2019s OnlyFans presence now serves as a meaningful income stream. Aaron Gillions\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n
Subscribers on her VIP page pay $9.97 per month for exclusive bikini and lingerie content along with direct messaging access. After the platform takes its 20% cut, the account generates a little over $2,500 monthly before tips and custom content purchases.<\/p>\n
Fellow beach volleyball pro Falyn Fonoimoana says the economics of the sport have forced athletes into exhausting routines for years.<\/p>\n
Even during successful seasons, she says prize money often tops out between $20,000 and $30,000, much of which immediately goes toward travel and tournament expenses.<\/p>\n
The 34-year-old, born in Hermosa Beach, says she has worked as many as four jobs at once during her 14-year professional career while raising a child as a single mother.<\/p>\n