Former NFL star Terrell Owens to launch channel on OnlyFans, wants 'fan engagement'
Terrell Owens, former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL), is all set to launch his career as a social media influencer. The 47-year-old is joining the controversial website OnlyFans, where he will set up a channel to host fitness sessions, recap his career and preview his off-the-field business ventures.
Though it’s not known how much money Owens is getting for his new endeavor, it’s known that the content subscription service platform lets its creators make money directly from their fans on a monthly basis as well as one-time tips and the pay-per-view feature. However, in an interview with CNBC on Thursday, September 2, Owens said he will also earn if his name, image, and likeness are used. “I’m trying to be a businessman. Those terms will be worked out with my legal and [OnlyFans’] legal,” he told CNBC while talking about the agreement with content subscription site.
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OnlyFans was launched five years ago. The owner of the platform is Fenix International Limited and it was created by Timothy Stokely. The company — valued at $1.4 billion — boasts 130 million users and over 1.5 million content creators. Bloomberg reported that in 2020, OnlyFans earned more than $400 million in revenue. Owens is the latest celebrity creator on the site. Other famous names on the site include Cardi B, endeavor-owned Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Sean O’Malley, and Bella Thorne.
Owens described OnlyFans as a “unique platform,” but added, “there will not be any sexual content that I’ll be providing. It’s not only just the risque and other things that are associated with OnlyFans. But it’s another platform for engagement with my fans in addition to the other social media platforms.”
In his almost two-decade-long career, Owens has played with teams including the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys and made around $79 million. But he claimed that he lost almost all of his earnings because of “bad experiences” and financial illiteracy as well as poor representation and financial advice. “I never want any kid to go through what I went through. I’m better suited to ask the right questions,” he stated.
Owens has not taken full retirement from the NFL and also added that a team owner asked him to be ready. Owens said, “I miss the competition. When I left the game, I never left on my own terms. This [returning to the NFL] is an opportunity — when it arises — to capitalize and make the most of it.”
This comes a few days after OnlyFans received a lot of backlash following the announcement that it will prohibit pornographic content on the platform. But after facing criticism, the platform reversed its decision stating that it was “making your voices heard”. A statement by the company read, “Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard. We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change. OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.”