Latest news with #moneyproblems
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Why Aren't Track Meets Paying Athletes On Time? More On The Economics Of Prize Money
When it first appeared Grand Slam Track was having serious money problems in July, with outstanding prize and appearance fee payments in the amount of nearly $13 million still due from its meets, the response was immediate. Social media stirred into a frenzy. 'Fyre Festival Track Edition,' one Instagram user wrote in response to a post on the league's missed payments. But not everyone jumped to conclusions. There was Carl Lewis, arguably the most decorated Olympic champion in United States history, who deterred. 'Diamond League takes longer,' the University of Houston head coach wrote in a response to a post on Instagram. 'Stop hating.' Many others came to the first-year league's defense, including the likes of Caleb Dean, a recent NCAA champion who turned professional in 2024 (he was also one of the league's showcase 'racers' in Kingston, Miami and Philadelphia), and Reggie Jager III, the 2025 U.S. champion in the discus. Grand Slam Track founder Michael Johnson, meanwhile, appeared twice to confront those issues on live shows and podcasts, including most recently on Justin Gatlin's 'Ready Set Go.' The track league, which boasted $30 million in 'financial commitments' when it was announced in June 2024, initially set a deadline for the first installment of its payment plan to athletes by 'late July,' but, according to Dennis Young of Front Office Sports, it missed the mark on the heels of the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. With athletes still waiting for their paydays, the topic remains a core issue. While there are no answers yet, Lewis' statement did prompt valid questions about the delivery of payments to athletes in the sport. Is this issue bigger than Grand Slam Track? Just how long does it take to issue prize money won during major competitions, and what are normal roadblocks which prevent professional athletes from receiving their earnings? We spoke with two U.S.-based agents to learn more about the process, including American Track League founder Paul Doyle. When Athletes Typically Earn Prize Money The simplest answer as to why earnings are often held up is anti-doping control. For major competitions like the Wanda Diamond League, which requires event operators to run drug screening processes in line with global standards, an athlete must first pass anti-doping testing before prize money is released. Sometimes, that 'pass' could take 30 days or more. Using the 2025 Diamond League schedule as an example, there is merit to the idea of delayed payments. Doyle sent us clearance notices – information gathered by the Athletics Integrity Unit, which is then sent to the Association of Athletic Managers, and then to the managers themselves – for nine Diamond League events. Here's the breakdown of how long it took for anti-doping to clear athletes from the conclusion of each meet: According to this sample size, the longest delay was just over a month. In Monaco, where event operations are among the best in the sport, it took less than three weeks. Based on this data, athletes weren't waiting very long – at least in theory – for money to hit their bank accounts. One agent we spoke to said the process to transfer prize money to an athlete is typically prompt, too. 'As soon as we receive a payment,' one prominent agent said, 'we let them (the athlete) know. We send them a statement and tell them, 'Here's how much from this amount is deducted for our commission.' Here's what we will send you. That's the way we operate.' It should be said, too, that around $9.2 million in prize money is being handed out across 15 Diamond League events in 2025, while another roughly $9 million will cover promotional fees. Winners of most Diamond League events are netting $30,000, while in Diamond+ Disciplines athletes can garner as much as $50,000. At the USATF Outdoor Championships, a total of $1.1 million was earned by athletes, including $8,800 for winners of each event. Like the Diamond League, each has to clear anti-doping protocols before that money finds its way into their hands. Conversely, it's been 128 days since Grand Slam Track's payment for Kingston, Jamaica; 100 days for Miami, Florida; and 73 days for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The U.S.-based agent told us he feels penalties could be an answer to non-payments. 'There should be consequences,' he said. 'Maybe you lose your status, a certain World Athletics label if you're gold or silver or bronze.' On a smaller scale, however, payment doesn't always come through promptly. Doyle says he's seen this happen, though prior exemptions aren't dealing with huge sums. What he's more concerned with, he said, is the flaws in waiting to release money before anti-doping is completed. While it's crucial for the reputation of the sport and to maintain fair play, '98 percent of the time,' he said, 'an athlete comes back clean.' 'I don't think it's a good policy,' he added of holding money. 'You might have a meet where you have 150 athletes competing. And maybe 10 of them get tested. You are really looking at six-to-seven percent of the athletes waiting on doping control results.' But most meets aren't offering five- or six-figure prize winnings, either. Sitting At The Doorstep of a Deal As Johnson revealed recently, Grand Slam Track faced 'major cash flow issues' when an investor pulled an eight-figure term sheet from the books. But deals falling through the cracks aren't new to track and field. Meet directors sometimes hinge prize money around the promise of sponsorship dollars. Doyles' own American Track League, which debuted in 2014 and ran consistently through 2024, recently lost Puma as its main sponsor. As a result, the series did not convene a single meet over the 2025 calendar year. 'Meet directors sometimes have to receive funds from their sponsor in order to pay,' said Doyle, who says he's currently in conversations with new sponsors for the track series. 'There are a whole bunch of boxes you need to check in order for the sponsor to justify the payment. If I have a contract for the American Track League, we have to deliver first. Once we deliver, we send the invoice.' Costs certainly add up for any meet organizer putting on a major competition, too. For a meet to even reach the guidelines of a World Athletics Continental Tour gold-level label, it's minimum doping requirements must include '12 urine tests' at the 'cost borne by Meet Organizer," and have over $200,000 in prize money allocated. Often, the cost of hosting a meet doesn't always secure a return on investment. There's no doubt Doyle understands the economics of the low-margin business. It sometimes also comes at a personal cost. In 2014, during the first year of his American Track League series, the average expense of each meet was $85,000. 'We had five events that year that I paid out of my pocket,' he said. 'We didn't have any sponsors. I was basically able to pay the first couple of meets, but I had to wait for my company to make more money to pay off the debts.' Much like Grand Slam Track's issues, Doyle faced his own about a decade ago. But the 52-year-old agent and meet director rebounded and paid those debts. Only, he wasn't wasn't facing millions of dollars due. On the other side, Doyle says he's also experienced a few meets where one of his athletes wasn't paid by a meet organizer. Nearly two decades ago, Asafa Powell ran at an event in Belgrade, Serbia. He still hasn't been paid for it. The U.S. agent we spoke to says he's heard of others as well. He said one major U.S. meet which often features the sport's top athletes struggles to pay on time, too—he's aware of that timeline being close to a year even. Bearing a Force Majeure – a God-like event preventing an event from happening – contracts are explicitly written for meets to be held accountable for their liabilities. Most track meets can handle a small hiccup. The difference with Grand Slam Track is a matter of scale. 'You often deal with delays,' the agent said. 'It's not $100,000, though. It's usually a maximum of $10,000 or a lot less.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The new issue threatening Jacqeline Jossa & Dan Osborne's turbulent marriage & final red line she won't let him cross
SINCE getting hitched in 2017, Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne's marriage has come under intense scrutiny, with multiple allegations of cheating, money problems and even arrests plaguing the couple. Earlier this year, it looked like the pair had finally split for good after ditching their wedding rings, selling their marital home and releasing a statement saying they were 'handling things privately.' 7 7 7 However, following a ' make-or-break' holiday to Mexico, it appeared they were giving it yet another shot. Now, pals have shared the underlying issues Jacqueline and Dan still face as they desperately try to make it work - and revealed the one deal breaker that would see the EastEnders actress walk away for good. 'There was a really rocky patch back there and they almost split permanently,' a source said. 'But Dan begged Jac to stay with him. He knows he's not perfect and ultimately she is madly in love with him and can't see herself with anyone else. "She is desperate to keep their family together and he wants to be with her too. "They're making every effort to reignite their spark with a mixture of therapy and space.' However, according to the insider, there's still one thing they just can't agree on - and it continues to cause conflict between them. WEDDING WOES 'Jac is desperate for them to renew their wedding vows,' the source said. 'But Dan isn't as keen. "Their children, Ella and Mia and Dan's son Teddy, are at the heart of everything they do - Jac thinks it would be nice for the kids to see it and for all five of them to be in a photo together. 'Dan believes they've already proved their love for each other by sticking together through the highs and lows, so why should they have to do it again.' And the lows have certainly been plenty. For years Dan, 34, and Jacqueline, 32, have had to fight rumours of infidelity. In 2018 he furiously denied allegations he'd been getting close with Love Island star Gabby Allen. And a year later, as Jacqueline was in Australia filming I'm A Celeb, model Chloe Ayling claimed she'd had a threesome with Dan and US reality TV star Natalie Nunn, again, something he denied. However, in an exclusive chat with The Sun in 2020, Dan admitted he had been unfaithful, saying: 'I've made mistakes. I've done things I shouldn't have done.' So inevitably his marriage was rocked further in June this year when The Sun revealed he had been swapping texts with Christine McGuinness and had even met her at a hotel in 2023, following her split from TV presenter Paddy McGuinness. Pals admit now that Jacqueline was 'frustrated' by the reports and 'hates when all eyes are on her and her marriage.' 'Jac was embarrassed and fed up after the Christine stuff" we were told. 'It wasn't news to her, she knew about the rumours, it was just dredging up the past that they had already worked through so it was frustrating for her to be in the spotlight again. "She doesn't want the world thinking she's married to some love rat - as far as she's concerned Dan is a good man.' That said, the source maintains that Jacqueline has been firm with her husband before. 'The biggest misconception about Jac is that she's a walkover and a mug,' the mole said. 'She's very strong minded and she's given Dan hell for what he's done in the past. "He's paid the price - he would be the mug to cheat again.' THE DEALBREAKER 7 While our source genuinely believes Jacqueline 'will never leave' Dan, there is an exception to the rule and that would be if he ever did something publicly to hurt their children, Ella, ten, and Mia, seven. 'If Dan's actions upset or embarrass their girls, especially as they get older and understand more, that would likely be enough to push Jac to walk away,' the source said. 'If Dan were to put her in a position where she was being humiliated publicly again, especially after she gave him another chance, she'd be unlikely to stay. "She's told him it's his last chance.' PAST MISTAKES Aside from the infidelity rumours, Jacqueline and Dan have navigated other issues which threatened to derail their marriage. In 2019, his business, Storm Entertainment, was plunged into thousands of pounds worth of debt, which put strain on the couple. And in 2022, Jac was devastated when Dan was arrested at her 30th birthday party, after becoming embroiled in a 'mass brawl' in their back garden. However, our source said Jacqueline keeps a 'level head' when it comes to problems, preferring to focus on protecting her daughters and keeping her family - including Dan's eleven year-old son Teddy from his relationship with Megan Tomlin - together under one roof. 'Jac's very level headed about stuff,' we were told. 'She just loves Dan so much but also wants to keep her family together. "She thinks marriages are about ups and downs and nobody has it perfect. You always need to work on it. "Ultimately, she would hate for their girls to wake up in the morning without their dad there.' RULES OF ATTRACTION 7 As they try and move forward after yet another rocky patch, things do seem to be on the up. The source explained that therapy, communication and Dan being open and honest with Jacquline has been hugely beneficial for them. But ultimately, the fact of the matter is that Jacqueline still fancies the pants off her husband. 'Oh, she thinks Dan is absolute sex on legs,' confirms the pal. 'And he in turn tells her he doesn't want to be with anyone else - and that tells her everything she needs to know. They're a family, a strong unit and they love each other very much.' Following their 'make or break' trip to Mexico, it seems Jacqueline has laid down firm ground rules and boundaries, which, according to our source, Dan is happy to stick to. 'Jacqueline's decision to stay with him seems rooted in genuine love, committed work to heal (through therapy and time apart) and prioritising their family unit for their children,' they said. 'She hasn't glossed over Dan's mistakes - she demanded clear commitment from him and truly believes they'll grow stronger together.' Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne relationship timeline Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne have weathered several storms since they first got together over 10 years ago. Here's how their relationship has played out 2013: After meeting at an awards ceremony that year, Jacqueline and Dan start going on a string of dates November 2013: Jacqueline is forced to defend Dan online after it was revealed he had also been on dates with Ferne McCann, Jac cleared up the matter by saying he was "single and can do what he wants". August 2014: Dan and Jacqueline announce that she is pregnant with their first child together February 2015: The couple welcome their first baby, a daughter named Ella. June 2015: Dan excitedly announced on Twitter that he and Jacqueline were engaged after a romantic proposal in Greece. He wrote: "She said YES!!! I am the luckiest man in the world to be marrying the woman of my dreams." June 2017: The couple exchange vows at a star-studded wedding ceremony at Cheshire Manor House. January 2018: The couple announced they were expecting their second baby together. May 2018: News reports that the couple have split with Dan heading off to a Marbella bootcamp when she was 30 weeks pregnant. Dan later confirmed he was living with a friend, and told Daily Star Sunday: "I'm still staying with a mate. I left because we were arguing and it is such a waste of energy. "The way I look at life is every day spent unhappy is a wasted day, and we were both having a lot of unhappy days," he added. "I still obviously care for Jacqueline but if we can't make each other happy then we shouldn't stay together. Life is too short." May 2018: Dan was seen getting close to Gabby Allen, sparking rumours they were now seeing each other during his break with Jacqueline. June 2018: The couple's second daughter, Mia, is born. October 2018: Dan and Jacqueline confirm they are giving their relationship another shot, telling OK! Magazine they "went through a bad patch" but are "stronger than ever". March 2019: Dan is accused of cheating on Jacqueline with Love Island star Alexandra Cane. Both sides denied the claims. November 2019: Jacqueline enters I'm A Celebrity but threatens to quit when Myles Stephenson confesses to her he thinks Dan cheated on her with his ex, Gabby Allen. She later is given a voicemail, and chooses to stay, winning the show. December 2019: Celebrity Big Brother star Chloe Ayling accuses Dan of having a threesome with her and Natalie Nunn on a boozy night out. Chloe stated in an interview with The Sun that Dan was "making a fool of Jacqueline". August 2024: Dan and Jacqueline become victim of a terrifying kidnap plot while they're on holiday with their daughters. The pair claim £20,000 worth of jewellery and even their girls' tooth fairy money was stolen. January 2025: Gabby Allen denies all relationship rumours with Dan and claims they have now completely cut contact, saying she "hopes he and Jacqueline are happy together." January 20 25: The couple are one again forced to deny split claims, with friends saying they were "upset and hurt" at the allegations after they put their home on the market. March 2025: The Sun exclusively reveals that Dan has moved out of the home he shares with Jacqueline.
The Sun
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Skint celebrities struggling to make ends meet – from soap legend getting loans from pals to singer who lives in her car
THE SKINT celebrities that are struggling to make ends meet - from Dawn O'Porter to Mischa Barton. Even if you have made lots of money, it doesn't always mean you're not going to run into money problems as these celebrities have found out. Mischa Barton The OC actress Mischa, 39, has had a widely-publicised battle with her former momager, Nuala Barton, over her money. In July 2015, she even sued her mother, alleging that she lied about how much Mischa was being paid for a film role and pocketed the rest of the cash herself. She's also struggled to make mortgage payments on her home in the past, at one point falling five months behind. Though she eventually sold the Beverly Hills mansion in summer 2016 for $7.05 million reports The BBC. Dawn O'Porter 8 Her husband is one of Hollywood's biggest comedy actors, but despite this, Dawn O'Porter has revealed she is struggling to make ends meet financially. The television presenter, 46, who has been married to Bridesmaids actor Chris O'Dowd since 2012, has opened up about her money woes. She expressed to MailOnline: 'I work pay cheque to pay cheque. I'm always broke. My card got declined last week. I'm like, what the f*** is happening? When will this end?' The Scottish writer and director has had a varied career, presenting several documentaries and shows including BBC's Super Slim Me and How To Look Good Naked on Channel 4. Meanwhile, Chris, 45, has starred in some of Hollywood's biggest productions, including This Is 40, Thor: The Dark World, Gulliver's Travels and St. Vincent. The couple have two children, sons Art, 11, and Valentine, who is eight years old. Wife of Hollywood actor claims she's 'always broke' and 'lives pay cheque to pay cheque' Lindsay Lohan 8 The Parent Trap's Lindsay Lohan had her bank accounts seized in 2012, for reportedly owing $234,000 in tax. Lindsay apparently sent her 18-year-old sister to haggle with second hand stores to make some emergency cash from her old clothes. Ali Lohan went to the vintage clothing store Wasteland to flog the singer's most valuable designer gear. Ali was seen arriving at the Los Angeles store with bags bursting with shoes, clothes and accessories. But she was reportedly shocked when she was offered a lot less than she was expecting. She tried another tactic to increase the value of the items by listing all the occasions her famous sister had been pictured wearing them. She went through items including a pair of Chanel pumps and a Balenciaga handbag, saying: "These have to be worth more, Lindsay was photographed wearing them, that has to add value." But the manager would not be swayed, and Ali had to settle much lower than she had planned. Her Scary Movie 5 co-star, Charlie Sheen, gave her $100,000 towards the bill and Lindsay now appears to have her finances under control. 50 Cent 8 50 Cent declared himself bankrupt in 2015, but said the move was a 'strategic' one, and not because he'd spent all of his money. He made the decision after he was sued for leaking a sex tape of Lastonia Leviston, who has a child with his rap rival Rick Ross, and didn't want other people to follow suit. He told US talk show host Larry King in 2015L "It's a move that was necessary for me to make at this point. "So I didn't allow myself to create that big red and white bulls eye on my back, where I become the person that people consistently come to." He still had to pay off debts of more than $22 million, though, with $6 million going to Lastonia for invasion of privacy. Shane Richie 8 Back in 2020, the EastEnders legend said the coronavirus pandemic hit him hard and left him begging friends and family for loans. Shane revealed how the pandemic and years of daft spending had left him "literally skint." At the time he was relying on loans from friends and family, and government help to pay his mortgage. He told the Mirror at the time: "I was going on tour, doing a TV series and panto but it all got cancelled in March. Now I am literally skint! "You save for a rainy day but you don't expect the rainy day to last eight months. Thankfully, I've been able to borrow money from mates, my family and the bank." He added: "I got rid of my car but only cos I lease a car for my wife for the school run. I can get around on a moped. "I am alright, I have had a career and if it all finishes tomorrow, so be it. If the worst comes to the worst, I'll do stand-up or resurrect a musical." Shane also revealed that he blew thousands on the strangest things, in particular Planet of the Apes memorabilia. He said: "It was my favourite show as a boy, I couldn't resist. It harks back to Christmases when mum and dad couldn't afford much." However, after his stint on I'm a Celeb and back on our screens in EastEnders, we are sure Shane's finances are in much better order now. Courtney Love 8 In April 2014, Courtney was hit with a $320,000 tax bill, as well as being ordered to pay $96,000 to a fashion designer she defamed on Twitter. Later that year, the singer told the Sunday Times, "I lost about $27 million. "I know that's a lifetime of money to most people, but I'm a big girl, it's rock 'n roll, it's Nirvana money, I had to let it go. "I make enough to live on, I'm financially solvent, I focus on what I make now." And back in 2021 according to official tax records, the Hole lead singer had five outstanding tax debts that have accumulated from 2017 to 2021. The iconic artist was hit with three outstanding Internal Revenue Service liens, totaling $1.9 million, while the rest of the debt was owed to the State of California. At the time, a clerk at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office confirmed to The Sun that all of the liens remained outstanding and were unpaid. Dawn Robinson 8 Dawn, found early fame in the '90s alongside Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones for their work as R&B group En Vogue. With seven Grammy nominations under their belt, the foursome are considered one of the most successful R&B girl groups of the past quarter-century. But now Dawn has revealed that she's been living in her car for the past three years. She has likened it to a 'camping trip' that's helped her feel more 'free.' The singer said in a recent video posted to her YouTube channel: 'You guys, for the past three years, I have been living in my car. "I said it, oh my gosh, it's out,' The Grammy nominee explained that she was living with her parents for a while in Las Vegas before the situation became unfavourable. She eventually moved back to Los Angeles after her manager suggested she move in with him for a bit. But the home was too small so Dawn ultimately resided in a hotel for eight months before deciding to research 'car life.' Following her search, the singer began living in her car in 2022 and said that she 'felt free.' She added: 'I felt free. I felt like I was on a camping trip. It just felt like it was the right thing to do. 'I didn't regret it. You know, a lot of celebrities have lived in their cars.' The singer admitted that though the experience is sometimes 'scary' she's learned 'what to do in my car and how to do it, like, how to cover my windows and you don't talk to certain people.' She explained: 'You're careful of telling people that you're alone, as a woman especially." Her candid confession comes weeks after her former band - En Vogue - announced that they would soon be embarking on a European tour. Cat Power Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall, better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter. She spent a lot of her own money on recording 2012 album, Sun. Then, when it came time to tour Sun, she took to Instagram to share some bad news with fans. She wrote: "I may have to cancel my European tour due to bankruptcy & my health struggle with angioedema. "I have not thrown in any towel, I am trying to figure out what best I can do." The tour was indeed postponed, with Chan later adding: 'The American tour has been wonderful and amazing, and with me being unable to afford to bring my show with full production (which i helped create), to Europe. "Financially, really dumped a huge additional amount of stress on me as I was and still am fighting trying to get tour support."
