On the road to the 2021 Tokyo summer Olympics, thousands of athletes competing in unprecedented times found themselves in unprecedented financial positions. The overwhelming majority of athletes competing at the highest level receive no financial support. And the vast majority of brands who sponsor the Olympics provide no actual financial support to those competing. Ally, the financial institution dedicated to being a true partner, wanted to provide real tangible support without wasting money patting our own backs in expensive ad placements.

So we launched The Unsponsored, an unofficial sponsorship for the athletes who needed in most on their road to the Olympics. We traveled the country to learn more about their stories. We sat at their kitchen tables, we held their babies, and with the help of Ally, we provided them the exact amount of financial support so they could keep every dollar without losing any money to the rigorous sponsorship rules surrounding the Olympics.