LSU NIL Powerhouse Duo Among Forbes' Top Creators in the World

Tiger stars Livvy Dunne, Flau'jae Johnson honored on Forbes' list of most impactful social media influencers.

Apr 20, 2024; Fort Worth, TX, USA; LSU Tigers gymnast Olivia Dunne kisses the championship trophy after the LSU Tigers gymnastics team wins the national championship in the 2024 Womens National Gymnastics Championship at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The impact of LSU student-athletes on the NIL landscape continues to shine across the country and now expands even further. From a recent Prime Video docuseries to innovative partnerships and investments, Tiger athletes are trailblazing in every aspect of the sports business arena.

LSU duo Livvy Dunne and Flau'jae Johnson have been recognized by Forbes as two of the top 50 creators in the world, taking their place amongst a star-studded list of influencers, entertainers and entrepreneurs. The only athletes - at any level - to appear on this list, the Tigers are featured alongside a who's who of influencers and creators such as MrBeast, the D'Amelio sisters, the Paul brothers and Alex Cooper, among others.

Much more than athletes, the expert content creator Dunne and hip-hop star Johnson have built their resumes and business portfolios with diverse brand partnerships, unique marketing campaigns, polarizing content and trailblazing investments, none of which were possible pre-NIL. Both national champions in their own athletic arenas - Dunne in gymnastics and Johnson in basketball - the duo are top case studies for what is right in college athletics today.

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To rank the world's top creators, Forbes analyzed data - with the help of creator marketing firm Influential - on the estimated gross earnings, follower counts, engagement rates, and entrepreneurial activities of thousands of internet personalities.

According to Forbes, their top creator honorees earned almost $720 million over the last 12 months, an increase of $20 million from 2023. The influencer industry overall is estimated to be worth $250 billion today, with Goldman Sachs predicting that figure will jump to nearly $500 billion by 2027.

Coming in at 31 (Dunne) and 37 (Johnson) on Forbes' list, the duo represents the future of what college athletes can achieve outside of their school work and athlete performance. Beyond their brand partnerships, which are vast - from Vuori, American Eagle and Jake Paul's personal care brand W for Dunne and PUMA, Bose and Powerade for Johnson - both are also trailblazing from an investment standpoint as well.

Dunne is a co-owner in W and created her own fund to support other LSU female athletes, while Johnson has invested in Bazooka Candy Brands and has even purchased 20 acres of land in Atlanta to create future opportunities for the next generation.

As they each prepare for their upcoming seasons, while balancing school, sports and business, these two Tigers continue to cement themselves as the faces of what's possible in this new NIL universe.

Johnson and No. 7 LSU tip off their season on November 4 versus Eastern Kentucky, while Dunne begins her final season on the gymnastics mat in early January.