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Today’s Case

7-Eleven launches 'Cleat Crew,' signs NIL deals with nine college football stars

7-Eleven, Inc. revealed its roster of nine college football athletes joining its first-ever Cleat Crew program, bringing together elite college football players from programs across the country to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The athletes will team up with renowned bespoke luxury designer The Shoe Surgeon to put their mark on individual pairs of custom cleats that fans can win through weekly auctions that coincide with some of the most anticipated games of the season. Proceeds from each sale will directly benefit the hospitals, a longtime partner of the 7-Eleven brand family.

A new cleat will be revealed on 7-Eleven’s Instagram page each Thursday, with bidding opening the following day (Friday) on CleatCrew.7Collection.com and remain open until the following Wednesday.

The first auction kicks off today with Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, benefitting PeaceHealth Sacred Heart in Eugene, Oregon, and concludes on November 29 with Michigan running back Blake Corum, benefitting Beaumont Children's in Detroit, Michigan.

Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr.: "I'm excited for the opportunity to collaborate with 7-Eleven, Speedway and The Shoe Surgeon to create something awesome for fans, while also doing good in the community. Spreading happiness on and off the field is what football is all about and I'm looking forward to supporting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals."

The Verdict

• Outstanding initiative for 7-Eleven to enter NIL & work with a longtime brand partner

  • Great to see Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in the player’s local areas benefit from this NIL partnership via way of auction - and a nice way for fans to donate money for a good cause.

  • Additionally, this is a thoughtful way for 7-Eleven to incorporate a longtime partner - one that can have carryover into basketball season and subsequent football seasons with different athletes.

• Weekly auctions vs. one-time is a good approach

  • Smart of 7-Eleven to space out the auctions by tying them in to marquee matchups for each player’s team throughout the season.

    • This allows the partnership to have a long-tail benefit of the majority of football season as opposed to doing all auctions in one week.

• Lost opportunity to launch on July 11

  • This day, unofficially known at 7-Eleven Day, would have been a fitting time to announce the partnership.

    • Also, the auctions begin at 8a ET and end five days later at 8p ET. How on-brand would it have been to begin each auction at 7a ET and end five days later at 11p ET.

  • However, this would have been several weeks before the start of the college football season, and might not have resonated as strongly as it does now that football is in full swing.

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