Rumor: Gabriel Medina Signs Massive Shoe Deal For Non-Surf-Related Reasons

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According to proximal sources, Gabriel Medina has signed a deal with Adidas footwear that will net him close to $1M per annum. That's a whole lotta dough (roughly $2,500 per day), but it's hardly the most fascinating part of the deal.  

As we know, Medina is the reigning World Champion and is statistically favored to win again in 2019. Assuming he does that (or even places second), Medina will also earn a coveted spot on Brazil's 2020 Olympic team.

However, Adidas couldn't care less about these facts, nor that Medina is an athlete at all. According to our source, Medina's deal with Adidas is not based around his competitive prowess, but rather his impact as a social media influencer. 

Fact: Medina has the biggest social following in surfing by a 3x mulitiplier (Gabby has 8 mil to Kelly's 2.6), meaning his reach expands well beyond typical surf fans. This makes him the most widely recognized surfer in the world to non-endemic audiences—AKA, Adidas' consumer base.

So, Medina's role with Adidas be less about corny, surf-based promo and more about hanging at parties with the stars (in his triple-striped shoes, of course). Like Rihanna or Kylie Jenner, Medina will provide value to Adidas by wearing their product at high-visibilty functions, while working out, and of course on Instagram.

On the beach, not so much. 

While the deal has not officially been announced, an IG post from October 30th shows Medina wearing Y3 sneakers, which are a collaboration between Adidas and the renowned Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto.

According to our sources, the Adidas deal will not conflict with Medina's current Rip Curl arrangement. Rip Curl will continue to sponsor Medina head-to- ...well, ankle, while Adidas will own that lucrative lower real estate.