If you’ve tuned into any of the women’s water polo matches at the Olympics—and you should, because Team USA is going for a historic fourth consecutive gold medal—you’ve probably seen a familiar face on the sidelines.
Or at least, a familiar clock.
That’s right—it’s Flavor Flav, the founding member of the hip-hop group Public Enemy known for wearing a giant clock around his neck. He’s now the official hype man for the team.
A rapper and reality TV star might seem like an unlikely booster for a sport that isn’t on most people’s radar. So how’d it all come about? It’s all thanks to Maggie Steffens, the team captain, who’s been on all three of those gold-medal-winning teams. In May, Steffens posted on Instagram asking for support for her team—or, for that matter, any other lesser-known women’s Olympic athletes.
“Some may not know this, but most Olympians need a 2nd (or 3rd) job to support chasing the dream (myself included!) and most teams rely on sponsors for travel, accommodations, nutritional support, rent/lodging, and simply affording to live in this day and age,” she wrote. Companies and individuals already donate, and the sport’s governing body provides some funding, but “we always need more help.”
Flavor Flav’s manager was scrolling that day, saw the post, and shared it with the rapper. Flav quickly realized he could make a difference. He commented on Steffens’s post: “As a girl dad and supporter of all women’s sports … imma sponsor the whole team,” he wrote. “My manager is in touch with your agent.”
And then, he followed through. On July 1, USA Water Polo announced he’d signed a five-year sponsorship deal, in which he’d made a financial contribution of an undisclosed amount to support the athletes. He also pledged to appear poolside not just in Paris, but in multiple other USA Water Polo events throughout the year. And he vowed to promote the teams on social media.
So far, he’s joined the team at practice wearing a USA Water Polo-themed clock, trying his hand at treading water, passing, and shooting. When the women were in Paris for a test tournament in May, he helped them get tickets to a Taylor Swift concert. At their first match of the Games—in which they defeated Greece 15-6 —he was there, taking selfies with First Lady Jill Biden.
