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Today’s Case

Various amateur athletes featured in NIL ads around the Super Bowl

During the big game, student-athletes capitalized on their name, image and likeness in various ways.

The Minnesota women's soccer team was featured in an ad for a personal injury law firm. Daryl “The Hammer” Isaacs, a personal injury lawyer based out of Louisville, Kentucky, is also the father of goaltender Alex Isaacs. Every member of the team was offered an NIL deal as part of the commercial, and the spot was shown in the southeast part of the United States.

High school tennis standout (and Brock Purdy lookalike) Anna Frey earned her a trip to the Super Bowl and a deal with Six Star Pro Nutrition. Videos of her likeness to the San Francisco 49ers quarterback went viral on TikTok over the past several months, and Frey has capitalized on her newfound fame. She is also an outstanding athlete herself, as she is the #6 ranked singles player in the nation for her graduating class and won the Utah 6A state championship as a freshman.

LSU women’s basketball star and accomplished rapper Flau'jae Johnson released a new track during Super Bowl through an NIL deal. Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys worked with Johnson to drop a remix of the law firm’s jingle during the big game. McKernan’s law firm has emerged as one of the largest spenders in the LSU market, signing deals with more than 80 LSU athletes since 2021.

The Verdict

• Nice to see these athletes receive recognition on a larger scale

  • While most NIL deals are executed on a local level, it’s great to see athletes featured throughout various parts of the U.S. and draw more attention to themselves and their sport.

  • I also like the Minnesota women’s soccer partnership featured the entire team and not just one athlete. NIL for everyone is extremely valuable.

• When will we see the national NIL spot?

  • Since these deals had local and regional focuses, will there come a time when we see a college athlete (or athletes) on a commercial DURING the broadcast?

    • Also, which company will be the one to pay $7 million for a 30 second ad, plus the cost to feature the athlete?

  • Celsius ran a college athlete, star-studded commercial during the Heisman Trophy presentation and other college football games throughout last season, so the Super Bowl NIL commercial might not be far off.

Student-athletes should provide brand feedback on NIL deals

Sharing your thoughts and insights on your deals can lead to long-term partnerships. Check out this video for more!

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^{I discuss insights and news related to name, image and likeness in 3 minutes or less every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12p ET/9a PT.}

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