Update: after publishing, the ISL informed SwimSwam that there would be 6 playoff matches, instead of 2. We will explain the new format in a separate article, but have updated the math below.
The International Swimming League will reduce stipend payouts but increase prize money ahead of the 2021 season, the third in the history of the upstart team-focused league.
For the 2021 season, athletes will receive a grant of $7,500 USD, scheduled to be paid in 5 equal monthly installments.
That’s as compared to $15,000 that was paid in the pre-Olympic 2020 season.
With about 350-360 athletes registered for the season, this reduction saves the league about $2.6 million in total stipend payments as compared to last season.
- See the final 2020 prize money table here.
- See how much money each team’s athletes earned in total in 2020.
While MVP and team payouts have not yet been revealed, the racing-specific prize money, on net of a number of changes, will increase this year. Last year, there was about $3.780 million in prize money up for grabs in just race-placement awards, and this year that will climb to $5,236,400. That’s an increase of about 39%, albeit for more meets.
That comes out to $275,600 per match for all matches except the final, which awards $551,200.
Payments to athletes have continued to be a challenge point for the league, with scheduled payments being frequently missed and prize money not paid on time. Multiple athletes from multiple teams have told SwimSwam this week that they still have not received their full payments from the 2020 season. While all that we spoke to said that they had received their stipend (aka “solidarity payments”), different athletes reported still being without portions of their prize money, especially that money earned during the playoffs.
Most did, however, say that their general managers have communicated a plan to them to complete those payments.
By SwimSwam’s calculations*, Caeleb Dressel earned the most money in the league last season at $291,788, followed by Lilly King ($254,188) and Ryan Murphy ($183,269). Murphy and Dressel are each expected to miss part, or all, of the regular season this year, which leaves the door open for other athletes to lead the table.
(*Those calculations assume equal sharing of team bonus money among athletes, which was never disclosed by the league).
Prize Money Changes
there are four big changes to prize money this year.
5th and 6th Place – One is that payments will be made to the top 6 finishers, with 5th place receiving $200 and 6th place receiving $100 in individual events and $400 and $200 for relays in the regular season and semi-final rounds. Payouts for the top 4 finishers have remained the same, and payouts will double for the final.
No Semifinals Bonus – Unlike last year, prize money for the Playoffs will be the same as the Regular Season. In 2020, those semi-final meets received a 1.5x bonus, meaning that event winners received $3600 instead of $2400. There will, however, be 6 playoff matches, which should up prize money available there.
Not All Jackpot Money is Stolen – Unlike last year, where a Jackpotted swimmer (in other words, a swimmer who was defeated by an overwhelming margin) lost all of their prize money to the winner, this year they’ll only lose 50% of their prize money to the winner. That is, if they clear the minimum time standard – if they don’t, then no money is awarded to anyone: the Jackpotter or the Jackpottee. Only $23,800 were ‘stolen’ in the 2020 season, so this change doesn’t create a huge money shift.
400m/IM Checkpoint Prize Money – There’s a new checkpoint scoring system in place for the 400 free and 400 IM, encouraging swimmers to be aggressive. Those systems are discussed fully here, but will also come with prize money – $2600 per race in the regular season and semi-finals, and double that in the finals. The ISL continues to favor shorter races, and this is an attempt to bring more excitement to the longest races on the schedule.
Regular Season Prize Money – Individual
All prize monies doubled for the Final
| INDIVIDUAL | 2020 Season | 2021 season |
| 1st | 2400 | 2400 |
| 2nd | 1600 | 1600 |
| 3rd | 800 | 800 |
| 4th | 400 | 400 |
| 5th | – | 200 |
| 6th | – | 100 |
| 7th | – | – |
| 8th | – | – |
Regular Season Prize Money – Skins
Round 1
| 2020 Season | 2021 season | |
| 1st | 2400 | 2400 |
| 2nd | 1600 | 1600 |
| 3rd | 800 | 800 |
| 4th | 400 | 400 |
| 5th | 200 | 200 |
| 6th | 100 | 100 |
| 7th | – | – |
| 8th | – | – |
Round 2
| SKINS – RD 2 | 2020 Season | 2021 season |
| 1st | 2400 | 2400 |
| 2nd | 1600 | 1600 |
| 3rd | 800 | 800 |
| 4th | 400 | 400 |
| 5th | – | – |
| 6th | – | – |
| 7th | – | – |
| 8th | – | – |
Round 3
| SKINS – RD 3 | 2020 Season | 2021 season |
| 1st | 4800 | 4800 |
| 2nd | 1600 | 1600 |
| 3rd | – | – |
| 4th | – | – |
| 5th | – | – |
| 6th | – | – |
| 7th | – | – |
| 8th | – | – |
Relays
| RELAYS | 2020 Season | 2021 season |
| 1st | 4800 | 4800 |
| 2nd | 3200 | 3200 |
| 3rd | 1600 | 1600 |
| 4th | 800 | 800 |
| 5th | – | 400 |
| 6th | – | 200 |
| 7th | – | – |
| 8th | – | – |
400 Meter Checkpoints
| 400M CHECKPOINTS | 2020 Season | 2021 season |
| 1st | – | 1200 |
| 2nd | – | 800 |
| 3rd | – | 400 |
| 4th | – | 200 |
| 5th | – | – |
| 6th | – | – |
| 7th | – | – |
| 8th | – | – |
ISL is great for the few great swimmers like Dressel, Peaty and top women who can actually make real money and for the fifty+ other 20-somethings that want to do something cool before they have to enter the real world.
So far, not a sustainable business model for the owners (who don’t pay their labor) or the swimmers.
Prize money.? What money? Some swimmers didn’t even receive their payments from last year
Key takeaways…
If the league folds, it won’t be because the founder is completely bankrupted by it. But I agree, I wouldn’t expect any money to be paid out to swimmers or vendors alike if that happens. My only hope is that the head of the org still having billions of dollars means there’d be SOME way to recover that money.
I think the delays in payment are probably because of restrictions on the founder’s money. He’s not allowed in the US – I imagine there are a lot of loopholes to jump through to get his money into the US.
Those loopholes probably involve lots of 3rd parties and shell companies, though. So that probably also protects him from anybody recovering this money if the league folds.
I mean I’m no financial wizard, but I’m pretty sure there’re way fewer restrictions on money crossing borders than there are for people. (Aside from like, countries we are blockading, er, “issuing sanctions” on. So I guess he might be tied up, good call. Glad we could all go on this journey together.)
If you can find out what Energy Standard does these days , let us know. I’ve got a lot of long term info on Naftogaz & Burisma ( lmao) but details here are decidedly murky.
hey quick question, does anybody out there know how they’re streaming the ISL matches? is it only thru the ISL website or did they partner with CBS Sports Network again?
I was able to watch using a VPN with CBC in Canada last year, it was great (other than Rowdy’s off-base commentary at times, of course, which was on ALL streams I believe).
Amateur hour league. Was hoping for it to be successful but with the way they are going it is not at all sustainable.
Definitely not great to see payments still being withheld. I do think the athletes even if they’re pay is messed up are greatly contributing to solidifying this league and making it possible for pros to swim longer and live better lives. I’d love to see where the league is making money, I’m sure they’re cutting it close financially unless the founder is continuously infusing cash.
I read the headline “ISL Solidarity Payments Drop” in the same way you’d read about an album “dropping” in that, the payments finally hit bank accounts.
Sounds like those were paid from last season, it’s just all the big money – the prize money that gets so much hype – that’s still missing. Cool. Cool cool cool.
Wow, not a good look for ISL