About this episode
China is shaking up swimming with MASSIVE payouts at the 2026 China Open in Shenzhen – up to $20,000 appearance fees just for showing up, plus $10K for 1st, $8K for 2nd, $6K for 3rd, flights, and hotels covered for top international stars!In this episode of Night Swim Podcast, we break down why this meet is a game-changer: elite athletes getting real money, fast exciting racing with only the best, fan experiences, autographs, and star power – while USA Swimming sticks to tiny $2K prizes that barely cover travel.We rant about:How USA Swimming & World Aquatics are greedy or incompetentWhy they never capitalized on Phelps-level crowds or pushed stars like Dressel properlyThe boring structure of most meets vs. China's smart, short, high-value formatBusiness lessons: spend money to make money, pay for star power, give fans the experience they wantMarketing fails, "funnest sport" nonsense, and why outsiders have to fix this sport? Night Swim PodcastWhen the pool lights go out, the real talk begins. Hosted by Dax Hill (NCAA champ, Texas Longhorns legend, high-performance technique guru @Reykli) and Elvis Burrows (Bahamian Olympian, national record holder, founder of Burrow's Best swimmer hair and skin care), Night Swim is unfiltered swim culture — NCAA battles, Olympic tea, training hacks, and pool-deck chaos. No scripts. No PR. Just two Black swimmers who’ve seen it all, saying what everyone else whispers.New episodes weekly. Grab your goggles, hit subscribe, and dive in.?? Presented by Swimnerd. #NightSwimPod #Swimming
