Brands had a slow start when it came to the NCAA's name, image and likeness (NIL) policy that went into effect in July 2021. But 18 months in, brands, athletes and colleges seem to have found their footing, resulting in a slew of deals. While the usual suspects such as Nike and Gatorade are in the mix, plenty of smaller brands have used NIL to connect with local markets and highlight female athletes.
We’ve rounded up the top NIL deals of 2022.
This year’s March Madness tournament was one of the first big chances brands had to dip a toe in the NIL waters. You might also remember that a highlight of this year’s tournament was the St. Peter’s Peacocks, an underdog team that made it all the way to the Elite Eight before being defeated by North Carolina. Peacocks guard Doug Edert scored an NIL deal with Buffalo Wild Wings and Barstool Sports for a merch line.
When NIL was first adopted, most of the original deals were aimed at male athletes. H&R Block saw this, and worked to level the playing field with its campaign, “A Fair Shot.” The tax preparation company announced that it committed $1 million to sponsor female athletes from a range of college sports, including basketball, softball and gymnastics. The company also provided free tax preparation services to help female athletes adjust to managing sponsorships and associated taxes. Since then, female athletes have benefited greatly from NIL deals, showing that they reach both male and female audiences.
Group NIL deals often try to unite a common factor among athletes. For candy maker Reese’s, tapping players with the same name as the chocolate-peanut butter treat was a no-brainer. In the brand’s inaugural NIL deal, a dozen athletes named Reese received a Reese’s gold chain and pendant, a custom orange travel blazer, a pair of Reese’s-shaped cuff links and a mini fridge built to fit in a locker to store the chocolate-coated candy. The deal was announced in early fall, just as football-shaped Reese’s cups were hitting stores.
Continuous glucose monitor maker Dexcom launched its first NIL program this year. Dexcom U included 14 college athletes across 11 sports living with Type 1 diabetes. The Dexcom U athletes were pulled from the Dexcom Warrior program, a community and support group of more than 20,000 people living with diabetes who use Dexcom products. The program gave students a platform to share their stories, and receive mentorship and support from pro athletes and figures who understand the challenges of living and competing with diabetes, including Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews and Seattle Sounders FC forward Jordan Morris. Dexcom also shared free educational resources for parents, teachers, coaches and teammates to break down misconceptions about diabetes.
Automaker Nissan entered the NIL world in the fall when it signed Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. The move was a perfect fit to make Young, recipient of the 2021 Heisman Trophy, the next member of Nissan’s long-running “Heisman House” campaign, which features Heisman winners including Devonta Smith, Kyler Murray, Desmond Howard, Barry Sanders and Baker Mayfield. Young has also appeared in Dr. Pepper commercials.
