March Madness has certainly delivered this year. Early upsets and the rise of underdogs have kept marketers on their toes, moving quickly to launch “name, image and likeness”—or NIL—deals with student-athletes.
While the tournaments aren’t over yet, several brands have managed to partner with an impressive roster of athletes thus far, pulling from both the men’s and women’s tournaments. Even Indiana cheerleader Cassidy Cerny benefited after retrieving a stuck ball, signing a deal with BreakingT apparel that features merchandise of the moment. Orangetheory fitness announced that it will give an NIL to the winner of the Most Outstanding Player from the women’s championship game. And H&R Block committed $1 million to sponsor female athletes.
Read on for some of the top brand deals ahead of this weekend’s Final Four matchups.