As HYROX continues its rapid growth from niche fitness race to global professional sport, the commercial side of the industry is evolving just as quickly. Sponsorships, athlete branding, content creation and travel costs are all becoming increasingly important parts of an Elite athlete’s career.
Dennis Sölle has transitioned from competitive HYROX athlete to one of the sport’s emerging athlete managers, working with top athletes including World Champion Tim Wenisch, Alexander Roncevic, Stephanie Oswald and Seka Arning.
We sat down with Dennis to discuss the business side of elite HYROX racing, how sponsorships are changing, the growing importance of social media, and where the sport is heading commercially.
How did you get into athlete management?
“I started HYROX myself as an athlete right after Covid, when the sport was still relatively small. Even though I wasn’t competing at the very top level, I got to know many athletes who are now among the leading names in the sport.
That’s how my connection with Tim Wenisch developed. Over the years, we built a close friendship, and naturally I started supporting him during race weekends and helping with organisational topics around competitions.
As the sport continued to grow and more opportunities came up, the management side developed organically from that. Outside of HYROX, I already had experience in negotiations and business, so it felt like a natural fit to combine both worlds.
What works particularly well between us is the balance between friendship and business. We understand each other very well, which makes the collaboration both natural and effective.
Today, I support Tim and also work with other athletes including Alexander Roncevic, Stephanie Oswald and Seka Arning.”
What are the biggest issues you currently see with sponsorships in HYROX?
“One of the biggest problems is that many athletes still accept deals that undervalue what they bring to brands. In some cases, athletes are agreeing to partnerships that mainly provide products rather than proper financial support.
That creates a difficult cycle because brands know there will always be athletes willing to accept those terms.
I think there needs to be more awareness among Elite athletes about their value and what professional partnerships should look like. Otherwise, the entire market remains undervalued.”
Do brands underestimate the value of Elite athletes?
“In many cases, yes – particularly when brands evaluate athletes purely through traditional influencer metrics such as follower count.
A lot of Elite athletes may not have massive social media audiences compared to mainstream influencers, but what brands sometimes underestimate is the visibility these athletes still have within HYROX itself.
They appear consistently on livestreams, race broadcasts, event coverage, reels and official HYROX channels. Even without huge followings, they can still have very strong visibility inside the sport and among the core audience brands are trying to reach.”
How important is social media becoming for Elite athletes?
“Unfortunately, it’s becoming extremely important.
Most athletes primarily want to focus on training and racing, but if they want to build stronger sponsorship opportunities, they also need to invest time into content and personal branding.
With Tim, for example, we started building content more professionally and expanded into platforms like YouTube alongside Instagram. That requires investment, but it also creates long-term value for both the athlete and their partners.
One important thing athletes can do is negotiate content budgets within sponsorship agreements so they can actually afford to create higher-quality media.”
Which platforms matter most?
“For me personally, Instagram is still the main platform.
Most sponsorship activity still revolves around Instagram integrations, reels, collaborations and brand visibility through social content.
YouTube is also becoming increasingly valuable, especially long term, because it allows athletes to build a deeper connection with their audience.”
What sort of sponsorship structures work best?
“I usually prefer a structure that combines a retainer with performance-based bonuses.
For most athletes, bonuses shouldn’t only be linked to winning major titles because realistically that applies to a very small group. A better system rewards consistency and strong performances throughout the season.
The affiliate-code model is also very common, especially with supplement companies, but it can become stressful because athletes constantly feel pressure to promote discount codes and drive sales.”
What are brands expecting from athletes now?
“Most sponsorships now include specific deliverables.
That usually means regular social media visibility, collaborative content, appearances at events or shoots, and participation at races throughout the season.
At the end of the day, brands want consistency and visibility.”
Are brands expecting athletes to race every Major?
“Most brands want athletes to compete regularly throughout the season, especially at the bigger races.
The challenge is that HYROX travel costs can become extremely expensive, particularly for international events where athletes need extra time to adjust and prepare properly.
That’s why more people are starting to discuss whether HYROX itself should provide additional travel support for Elite athletes.”
Do you agree with that?
“I believe additional travel support will become increasingly important as the sport continues to professionalise.
HYROX has already made major progress through stronger events and improved prize money structures, which is very positive for the sport overall.
At the same time, if Elite athletes are expected to consistently represent the sport at major international events, then travel and accommodation support would help create a more sustainable professional environment.
Right now, many athletes are still operating very close to break-even financially.”
Is there a big financial gap between established Elite athletes and athletes just outside that level?
“There’s definitely a noticeable gap between athletes who are consistently performing at the very top and those who are just outside that level.
The largest brands naturally focus their investments on athletes who regularly appear at the front of races and receive the highest visibility.
For athletes moving in and out of the top tier, it can still be financially challenging to sustain a full international racing schedule.”
HYROX recently announced World Championship prize money. What are your thoughts?
“The overall prize pool is definitely moving in the right direction, and it’s positive to see the sport continuing to invest in its professional side.
At the same time, I think there’s still room to create a more balanced structure across the field. Prize money is important, but travel support remains one of the biggest missing pieces for many athletes.”
What’s your overall view of where HYROX is heading commercially?
“Overall, the trajectory of the sport is extremely positive.
The competitive level continues to rise, the audience is growing globally, and more brands are becoming interested in entering the space each season.
The next step is for the commercial ecosystem around the athletes to continue evolving alongside the level of professionalism we’re now seeing in competition.”
Any final advice for athletes navigating sponsorships?
“Get management if you can — ideally someone who truly understands HYROX and the way the sport operates.
Athletes should also think long term: invest in your personal brand, build quality content, negotiate proper structures and don’t undervalue yourself by accepting agreements that don’t reflect the work and visibility you bring.”
You can find out more about Dennis Soelle and his management company at A1 Management
