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Today’s Case

Iowa Pork Producers sign NIL deal with Iowa State football players featuring a unique combination of last names

Sometimes, NIL deals are forced. Other times, it’s a better fit.

However, in the rarest of instances, an NIL partnership is… *chef’s kiss.* (No pun intended.)

Earlier this week, the Iowa Pork Producers Association announced an NIL partnership with Iowa State Cyclones Myles Purchase, Tyler Moore, Tommy Hamann and Caleb Bacon. Their last names put together: Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon.

Earlier this season, a photo of Tommy Hamann and Caleb Bacon standing next to each other gained notoriety on X (formerly Twitter), prompting a chance to secure a unique partnership.

Trish Cook, president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association: “After the ‘Hamann and Bacon’ photo went viral on social media following the Cyclones’ season opener, we knew we had to jump on this opportunity. These four young men are not only great football players, they also have strong academic records and great last names! We couldn’t be more excited to work with them in this fun initiative to publicize Iowa pork.”

In conjunction with the NIL partnership, the Iowa Pork Producers Association will donate $1,000 of pork to each player’s food pantry of choice.

The Verdict

• One of the more creative NIL deals I’ve seen to date

  • Solid way for multiple athletes to leverage their last name for an NIL deal with an in-state organization. Additionally, donations to food pantries is a great community service initiative.

    • For athletes wanting to begin their NIL journey, partnering with local organizations is a great first step. The athlete builds relationships with brands in the area, while the local company taps into the Gen Z demographic.

• Striking while the iron is hot proved to be valuable

  • NIL deals generally take quite some time to materialize. However, from the time the Hamman-Bacon picture was posted to signing a deal (and securing two additional Iowa State athletes only took three weeks.

    • Kudos to the numerous people and organizations for fast-tracking this partnership.

• Tapping into given names and nicknames for NIL deals is an easy win for athletes

  • Athletes such as Oklahoma quarterback General Booty, former Nebraska receiver DeColdest Crawford and 12 athletes named Reese all leveraged their names for creative NIL opportunities.

    • Makes you wonder if an influx of brand-related nicknames (Ferrari, Rolex, etc.) will be commonplace in the coming years for said athletes to try and secure partnerships.

Student-athletes: Don’t turn down product-only deals

Partnerships with no cash involved can still prove to be valuable. Watch this video for more!

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