USC quarterback Caleb Williams signs NIL deal with United Airlines

Caleb Williams has quickly become the most recognized name in college football.

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has parlayed his on-field success into a national NIL brand. On Friday, he arguably inked his most notable partnership to date.

The USC quarterback signed with United Airlines for a season-long campaign. As part of the marketing strategy from the airline company, Williams will be promoting the addition of 127 new, nonstop flights for college football season.

He will be featured in advertising and social media spots for United throughout the year, along with promotion from his own accounts. The airline has added flights to more than 15 destinations for the season, including Columbus, Fayetteville and South Bend. Smith & Company facilitated the deal.

“There’s nothing like the energy you get from seeing the fans in stands and hearing them cheer you on during a big rivalry game, whether that’s at home or on the road,” Williams said in a statement. “I’m excited to collaborate with United Airlines to help spread the news of these special college football flights so fans from all over the country can experience that energy first-hand.”

United moving to partner with Williams does not come as a surprise. The airline and USC signed a partnership in 2019 for the field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to be named United Airlines Field. Former USC wide receiver Jordan Addison promoted the brand last year, too.

In the promotional material released Friday, Williams is wearing his USC jersey in front of a United airplane. Wearing the cardinal and gold colors means United secured intellectual property usage, allowing the quarterback to represent USC in an NIL deal. It has become a popular move for brands. IP only helps United, as most athletes are more recognizable in their uniform or college environment.

“We’re committed to providing a best-in-class travel experience for our customers, whether they’re traveling around the globe, or flying to see their favorite college football team play,” United senior vice president Patrick Quayle said. “We’re pleased to deliver a schedule this season that makes it easy for fans to come together and support their teams on the road.”

Caleb Williams’ NIL platform continues to grow

The USC quarterback saw what winning the Heisman in the NIL Era can mean for an athlete. He’s back in Los Angeles for at least one more season, too. In his first year on the West Coast, he threw for 4,537 yards with a 66.6% completion percentage. He was picked off just five times in 2022 while passing for 42 touchdowns.

Williams has become inked NIL agreements with Athletic Brewing Company, Fanatics, Neutrogena, AT&T, Beats by Dre, PlayStation and AC+ION Water. Since December, his social media has soared to nearly 300,000 followers. The quarterback has embraced his love for fashion, too. He wore a Gucci suit to the Heisman ceremony. Plus, Williams was in the Hugo Boss show during his spring break in March.

Back at USC for another year, he’ll probably be next to Tim Tebow and Baker Mayfield in Nissan’s Heisman House ads this fall similar to Bryce Young. For all the endorsement deals, Caleb Williams has been able to use his platform to establish the Caleb Cares Foundation, which focuses on anti-bullying, youth empowerment and mental health awareness.

His $2.6 million On3 NIL Valuation ranks No. 2 in college football, trailing only Arch Manning‘s $2.8 million valuation. Williams also sits at No. 4 in the On3 NIL 100, which is the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.

The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

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