Citi has signed several of the best-known U.S. Olympians to lead its marketing campaign for the Rio Games, including beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh Jennings, gymnast Gabby Douglas and sprinter Allyson Felix. Citi, the official bank of the USOC, identified its full eight-athlete roster in a YouTube video posted earlier today. The bank is relying mostly on fairly prominent names, though is betting on a new Olympic sport -- rugby -- via a deal with Team USA rugby player Carlin Isles, who has also declared his goal of qualifying for the Games in track and field. Three-time Gold Medal-winning swimmer Nathan Adrian also is in the Citi campaign. Like many Olympic sponsors, Citi is increasingly using Paralympic stars. Two-time Gold Medal-winning Paralympic swimmers Brad Snyder and Rudy Garcia-Tolson, along with Paralympic track and field hopeful Scout Bassett, are also on the team. Further details of Citi’s activation plans for Rio have not yet been disclosed. The bank’s sponsorship of the U.S. team is set to expire later this year. Terms of the athlete deals were not disclosed. Glideslope handled the negotiations for Citi. Douglas was repped by CAA’s Lowell Taub and Lis Moss; Felix was repped by her agent and brother Wesley Felix; Adrian was repped by Octagon’s Janey Miller; Walsh Jennings and Isles were repped by Brandon Swibel of The Legacy Agency. Snyder is repped by The Factory Agency; Garcia-Tolson is repped by Chicago Sports & Entertainment partner Patrick Quinn.
