Dunkin’ strikes sweet NIL deal with 15 Pitt student-athletes

There are NIL deals, and then there are really sweet NIL deals.

For 15 student-athletes at Pitt, they got to sample the sweet side of NIL with their agreements with the Heartland Restaurant Group, which owns and operates 70 Dunkin’ locations across the Midwest.

As part of the deal, the student-athletes will spend time working at a Dunkin’ location. They will share their experiences on social media to drive awareness for available jobs at the locations.

The deals were brokered by Consult Box which partnered with Jaster Athletes to coordinate and create content with the athletes. It’s believed to be the most extensive deals with Pitt student-athletes because it touches players in almost every sport at the school. The terms of the deals were not released.

“We wanted to build major momentum with this campaign,” Jordon Rooney of Jaster Athletes told On3. “So, you will see all 15 athletes post their pictures announcing their partnerships this week, and then next week they will all post videos, showcasing them working in Dunkin’,”

The players involved in the deal are:

• Track athletes Imani Clark and Endeyah Lane
• Softball players Kayla Lane and Sarah Seamans
• Cross country and track distance runner Emily Brown
• Women’s basketball players Aislin Malcolm and Marley Washenitz
• Men’s basketball players Blake Hinson, Nelly Cummings and Nike Sibande
• Volleyball player Julianna Dalton
• Soccer player Mackenzie Evers
• Football players MJ Devonshire, SirVocea Dennis and Brandon Hill

Creative deals with Pitt athletes will pay off

Additionally, Jordon Rooney, who was also recently hired by West Virginia’s Country Roads Trust to be the collective’s personal NIL brand coach, told On3 he believes the deals’ creativity will help draw even more attention for Dunkin’.

Furthermore, the social media postings feature the student-athletes working behind the counter at Dunkin’ and even show them sampling some of their favorite items. The student-athletes also included a slide in their Instagram posts that hammers home the point that Dunkin’ is hiring.

“Brands that partner with athletes miss the mark because they don’t invest in the creative or the campaign feels disconnected from the brand,” Rooney said. “Dunkin’ let us be creative and oversee a campaign that builds momentum with each post.”