Spending millions to make millions
Why pro athletes are going high-tech
February 9, 2026
When Jayden Daniels was selected second overall in the 2024 NFL draft, he had a unique requirement. The team that drafted him had to allow him to use virtual reality (VR) in his training.
It’s not something you hear every day, but the star quarterback, who ended up winning 2024 Rookie of the Year, had a reason: it had changed the trajectory of his career.
Daniels was playing college football at Arizona State, where things ended poorly before he transferred to Louisiana State, hoping to raise his draft ranking. He had thrown 10 interceptions the previous season and his future stardom was anything but assured. Enter Cognilize, a German sports technology company with a VR product originally built for soccer. According to its website, its product provides “immersive decision-making training” and “enhancing of split-second reads in sport-specific game situations.” Daniels began to use it twice a week, as it could be tailored to include a simulation of opposing stadium environments, how the opposition would tend to set up in different situations, and…oh yeah, it operates at 1.75x normal speed. Daniels went on to win the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football that year, and is now a big name just two years into his career. After leading his team, the Washington Commanders, to a massive playoff win last year, Pro Football Network said his VR training setup helped him “read defenses 80% faster” than he was able to previously.
But he’s not alone. For years, pro athletes have spent large sums of money to keep their bodies and brains in peak shape.
Two chefs?
NBA superstar Lebron James is said to spend $1.5 million on his body annually. Fellow NFL quarterback Russell Wilson? $1 million. For Wilson, this cost helps cover a full-time “performance team,” including a personal trainer, physiotherapist, massage therapist and two(!) chefs. But that’s just the human team. What has changed in recent years, and at a rapid pace, has been the amount of personal money such pro athletes are investing in the latest technology. Wilson is the owner of two hyperbaric chambers (which allow you to inhale pure oxygen in a pressurized environment, boosting your immune system and encouraging your body to repair itself), which he uses up to four times a week. James uses a cryotherapy chamber (providing brief exposure to temperatures of -85°C to -140°C for two to four minutes). Olympic legend Michael Phelps and World Cup soccer champion Alex Morgan each own $1,600 mattresses, which offers a “zoned transition layer to help with different pressure zones in the body” and aid with recovery.
It's hard to argue that these investments don’t pay off. Wilson’s career earnings are $320 million, and James’s $530 million (and both continue their careers well past the average age of athletes in their respective sports). Hey, you’ve got to spend money to make money, right? Yet as technology continues to advance, with more options available, that price tag is set to rise.
"The lightning pace of tech development, whether it’s AI improvements every few months or new material breakthroughs quarterly, has created an inescapable cost spiral for athletes,” says Tom Kerigan, Vice President, Enterprise Architecture, OMERS. In his role, Tom sets OMERS technology vision, aligns IT strategy with business goals and ensures we spend wisely on technology solutions. “They're not just paying more for better technology; they're paying more because they must upgrade far more frequently to avoid becoming competitively obsolete.”
What about my performance? Or just my health?
“Great,” you think as you read this. “Wealthy pro athletes have the opportunity to maximize their health and longevity. But what about me?”
Well, it turns out such technology advances and eagerness to use them by some of the most recognizable names in the world can actually benefit us Average Janes and Joes.
“When breakthrough products reach mainstream consumers, they trigger a powerful economic flywheel,” adds Tom. “Mass market demand allows innovative companies to scale production dramatically, driving down unit costs and making those same innovations accessible to everyday people who couldn't afford the early versions.”
However, one question pops to mind: Do I need these things? I’m not trying to win a championship. I just want to get out of bed without back pain. The answer really depends on the product.
“VR may also help non-athletes who are dealing with serious medical conditions,” says Dr. James Aw, OMERS Chief Medical Officer. “Evidence is mounting on the benefits of virtual reality as an adjunct to traditional treatments in pain management, physical rehabilitation (post-stroke, Parkinsons) and mental health (specifically anxiety, phobias and PTSD). It is also a great tool for patient education and medical training for clinicians.”
What the future may hold
As the last two years have demonstrated, high-tech innovation is only coming to us at a faster pace. Will it leave us with confusing, expensive products pushed by sports superstars that we’re not sure how to embrace? Or will it lead to a personal care revolution, where scale and costs will make it possible to take advantage of products previously only reserved for the very well-off? Only time will tell, but one thing remains certain:
Having two chefs is just overkill.
The Relatable Economist is an ongoing written series focused on how the economy, geopolitics, markets and more are impacting our day-to-day lives, discussing topics that matter to you, even if just to share with your friends at your next get-together or in the stands at your child’s or grandchild’s soccer game. Have a topic you want to learn more about? Write to us at therelatableeconomist@omers.com.