By CNN
—
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has signed a deal to join video subscription company OnlyFans in a move that the 28-year-old describes as a “no brainer.”
Kyrgios is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining players on the tour, but his behavior at times on the court has made him a polarizing figure.
He reached his first grand slam singles final at Wimbledon last year, losing in four sets to Novak Djokovic, and won his first grand slam doubles title at the Australian Open alongside compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis.
“Launching an OnlyFans was a no-brainer,” Kyrgios said in a statement on Thursday. “They are revolutionising social media and I wanted to be a part of that. Athletes can no longer just show up on the court or the field, we have to show up online too.
“I want to create, produce, direct and own content. That’s the future. I’ve been speaking to my fans directly for years and I know what they want to see.
“Of course, there’ll be tennis balls involved, tips, tricks and behind the scenes, but also they’ll get to see all different sides of me. Gaming, tattoos, my intimate side – it’s all on the table and I’ll be bringing fans along for the ride!”
OnlyFans began as a social media platform for anyone wanting to produce videos and photos to share with subscribing fans, but the UK-based company quickly became known for sexually explicit and other adult content.
In August 2021, OnlyFans announced it would ban sexually explicit content, under pressure from its banking partners, but the company reversed the decision days later following a backlash from content creators.
Sex workers said they had helped create the company’s success and popularity only to be left in the dust. OnlyFans said it was eventually able to secure funding to continue allowing all manner of content on its platform.
OnlyFans told CNN on Thursday that it has paid out over $10 billion to creators since it was founded in 2016.
According to OnlyFans’ most recent earnings statement, the platform’s 239 million users spent more than $5.5 billion in 2022, up from $4.8 billion in 2021.
OnlyFans takes a 20% cut of users’ payments, with the content creators receiving the remaining 80%, the company said in the statement.
Kyrgios will likely have plenty of time to keep his OnlyFans account updated as he continues to struggle with injuries.
After missing all four grand slams in 2023 with wrist, knee and foot injuries, Kyrgios looks set to miss his home Australian Open in January after being left off the entry list.
However, 22-time grand slam singles champion Rafael Nadal has been included on the entry list after missing the majority of 2022 due to an injury sustained at the Australian Open.
Nadal will make his long-awaited return to tennis at the Brisbane International in January.
CNN’s Walé Azeez contributed to this report.
