Sport Climbing & the Paris 2024 Olympics

Two-time U.S. Olympic athlete Brooke Raboutou competes in the Semi-Final round of the IFSC World Cup Bouldering Competition in Salt Lake City. Photo by Jake Byk/CWA

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published with the first Olympic games to include rock climbing in 2021. It has been modified with up-to-date information for the 2024 Paris Olympics. View the Sport Climbing Olympic Schedule for Paris 2024 here.

From gymnastics to curling and many sports in between, facility owners see a rise in new athletes following the games. The part where it gets a bit murkier is how long, and how much long-term impact the 'Olympic Bump' can have.

Former U.S. Olympic athlete Kyra Condie competes in the IFSC World Cup Bouldering Semi-Finals in Salt Lake City. Photo by Jake Byk/CWA

The one certain thing: every new person entering a climbing gym, inspired by watching athletes from around the world give their all, is a new potential member. We all know the power climbing can have, and millions of people are about to see it on the world stage for the first time.

The awareness of rock climbing in the United States has made leaps and bounds in the last decade alone. From President Obama publicly congratulating Tommy Caldwell on his ascent of the Dawn Wall, to President Biden publicly marveling at climbers scaling walls at a gym in Virginia – the sport is continuing to enter the mainstream.

The main takeaway: the 'Olympic Bump' is what you make of it. Millions of eyes will be on indoor climbing for the first time. Taking advantage of it can be short-term and long-term: both for acquiring membership and re-invigorating your members. Below are some big and small ideas to capitalize on the 'Olympic Bump'. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has established Rule 40, which more or less blocks the fair use of the word 'Olympics' in virtually any context for a period before and during the games. 

For the upcoming games, the IOC Rule 40 period is July 18 - August 13, 2024. Unless it’s for educational purposes like this article, or by a private citizen (such as your members), using almost any word associated with the Olympics in any way might earn a letter from the IOC.

Don't

• Explicitly reference the Olympics. This means using the words "Olympics, Olympiad, Paris 2024, and the list goes on. To see a full list, visit page 7 of this PDF from the U.S. Rule 40 Permissions system website.
• Post pictures of any Olympian in any context.
• Use any hashtags on social media directly related to the Olympics.

Do

• Engage in the Olympics. This is a huge moment for our sport and for the world!
• Be creative. Given the copyright laws the IOC implements, it's not easy for businesses to participate in the public conversation. This requires us to be creative in how we talk about the Olympics. Here are some examples of creativity from years past.
• Be service-oriented. The Olympics are all about unity and about showing what humans are capable of. For many members and potential future climbers, this is only the beginning and is potentially a very inspiring moment in history. Keep that in mind with anything you do. 

Create an explainer graphic, video, or guide for watching the Olympics.

An example of a graphic explaining the Olympic scoring from 2021.

The 2024 Olympics may be the first time some of your members pay attention to competitive climbing. Plus, the format is different from what climbers may recognize for usual competitions. It has a combined format for speed, bouldering, and lead. Your members may appreciate learning more about how the event is scored, and how to watch it.

It doesn't have to (and shouldn't) end at social media. Include these informational graphics in your email communications with members and potentially on your website. You're providing a resource to your members, and you're offering them tools for inspiration. By being the source of that information and inspiration, members will continue to come back to you and see your gym as more than just a place to climb. The Olympics are bigger than indoor climbing – and your gym can be more, too.

For those who are truly ambitious, hosting in-person events inspired by the Olympics is a great way to potentially take in more members, or re-energize current members.

Holding a competition inspired by the Olympics.

To really engage new and old members, host a competition modeling the camaraderie and pride of the Olympics within a month or two of the actual games. Use a similar combined grading system, comp-style routes, create affordable ‘medals’ – get creative with it!

Just keep in mind, it is against the law to use the intellectual property of the games to profit as a commercial business. In your promotion of any event, avoid all intellectual property including the word 'Olympics', or even shortening the word 'lympics,' such as 'YourClimbingGymLympics'.

So, some new potential members saw climbing on TV and are intrigued. They go to your website, look around, and then what? This is a chance to put your gym front and center in local media and capture those new to the sport.

Offer to be a resource for local media.

It's no secret that climbing terminology can be tricky for local media, but thankfully they have experts like you to help! Reach out to your local media market and offer to be a resource on the nuances of the sport. Most local media outlets will have a contact form on their website, or you could look for the contact information for an Editor in Chief or Managing Editor. When the media accurately reports on rock climbing, everyone wins. It's also an opportunity to build a relationship and pitch a story to get your gym in the news.

Create an 'intro package' to welcome new members.

Now is the time to think about how you can welcome new climbers to your gym. Create a package specifically geared toward climbers who may have no concept of the sport, or who may have just seen it on TV and want to try it out. Consider offering a discount on gear for new climbers coupled with 'intro to climbing' courses. Be sure to highlight this package prominently on your website. As always, avoid tying this in any explicit way to the Olympics.

About the Author

Jake Byk is the Content Manager for the Climbing Wall Association. He's an avid hiker, mountaineer, lover of hard-to-reach places and long drives.