Sierra Blair: Ahead of the Curve

Climbing Gold

Duct Tape Then Beer

Sports, Wilderness

4.8 • 849 Ratings

🗓️ 7 June 2024

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A decade ago, climbing’s most controversial figure wasn’t someone who’d lied, chopped routes, or chipped holds. It was a young woman who’d savvily harnessed the internet and social media to power her competitive career. Unintentionally, Sierra Blair became a lightning rod. Today, Sierra’s approach might simply be considered best practice for an athlete on social media, but a decade ago it sparked conversations about who gets to call themselves an athlete or a “real” climber, and it exposed a vein of misogyny flowing through our sport. With that period firmly in the rearview mirror and climbing harder than ever, Sierra shares her journey through climbing, professionalism, and the Internet. Watch Climbing Gold on YouTube Thanks to our sponsors The North Face COROS Use code CLIMBINGGOLD to get a free watch carabiner with the purchase of a VERTIX 2s watch when both items are in your cart. AeroPress use promo code CLIMBINGGOLD to save 20% off your order LMNT Use link to get a free LMNT sample pack with any drink mix order Dr. Squatch Use code CLIMBINGGOLD to get 20% any purchase (new customers only)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Alex, question.
0:01.9	Can you think of a single professional climber
0:04.5	or even like a professional outdoor athlete
0:06.5	that doesn't use social media?
0:10.6	I think I can think of one professional climber
0:12.5	that doesn't use social, but he's a bit of a convergent.
0:15.2	And otherwise, I think it's safe to say
0:16.6	that virtually every athlete,
0:18.4	I mean, almost every mainstream athlete
0:20.1	has social media.
0:22.1	It's just part of your obligation to sponsors at this point.
0:25.4	I think especially in the outdoor space where, you know,
0:28.2	you're not selling tickets to a game played at an arena
0:31.1	or there's no crazy TV deals right now for the actual competitions.
0:36.1	It's just part of life.
0:37.1	Like maybe if you're an NBA player,
0:38.4	you could be like, well, I have my contract that my team pays me. They don't actually pay me to
0:43.4	post on social media about it. You could maybe get away with it there. But even then, it's like,
0:48.6	right, that's how they're making extra money because the endorsements are so important.
0:53.4	You know, there's just such an opportunity to use social media to earn a living.
0:57.2	So I think, you know, whether you're a mainstream athlete and you're already getting paid a ton,
1:00.3	it's like then you just get paid even more through social.
	...

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