The popularity surrounding women’s college basketball stars like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark has more sports fans noticing the evolution of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
But since their inception, we’ve seen the collegiate sports industry has experienced a surge of activity, as athletes dive head-first into million-dollar endorsements, sponsorships, and initiatives while developing their personal brands. With former star college players like Angel Reese, who recently joined the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, her rank as the athlete with the highest follower growth across her social media accounts has helped to garner her around $1.8 million in NIL money.
Reese has secured over 17 NIL deals with major brands like Goldman Sachs, Beats by Dre, Reebok, Amazon, and more. Caitlin Clark, who signed with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, is one of the highest earners among women’s college basketball players earning over $3.1 million in NIL deals with the likes of Gatorade, State Farm, Buick, Nike, and more.
The growth in investment into women’s college basketball stars highlights the switch big brands are making in backing young college players rather than professional athletes. The report found that 35% of brands invest exclusively in NIL athletes versus major pro sports athletes with brands like Hey Dude Shoes holding the highest volume of NIL deals with 78 deals across all sports.
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Source: Black Enterprise
