NIL Deals of the Week: Top brands launch campaigns ahead of March Madness

With March Madness arriving next week, the number of NIL deals executed will continue to ramp up.

More and more companies have stepped up in recent weeks to announce deals before college basketball heads into its most impactful three weeks of the season. Plus, women’s basketball ratings and superstars have opened up new audiences for brands.

There are plenty of creative and original partnerships to highlight in this week’s NIL Deals of the Week. With a mission to highlight the top deals every week, the On3 NIL team will focus on identifying noteworthy deals in the college athletics landscape.

As a reminder, feel free to submit info on your NIL deal to On3. You can email [email protected] or reach out via DM or comment on Twitter to @On3NIL. Direct messages are open, too, on the @On3NIL Instagram account.

Let’s get to the deals that highlighted this week in NIL.

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Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo adds hotel deal

Notre Dame star freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo is promoting Aloft’s South Bend location through a new NIL deal.

Aloft – which is owned by Marriott – partnered with Hidalgo after she was named the ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player and a first-team All-ACC pick as a true freshman.

Hidalgo was a five-star recruit in the 2023 class, and she has more than 27,000 followers on social media. In the ACC Tournament, she averaged 19.3 points, six rebounds and six assists. She is also just the second player in ACC history to earn both Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season.

“Hannah’s talent, drive, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our values, and we are excited to support her as she continues to make a positive impact both on and off the court,” the hotel chain said in a statement. “This partnership represents an exciting opportunity to amplify Hannah’s voice and empower her to achieve her goals beyond her collegiate athletic career.”

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Great Clips dives into NIL before March Madness

Great Clips, an official NCAA Tournament sponsor, announced two new NIL deals ahead of March Madness featuring Duke standout Kyle Filipowski and Kansas State guard Gabby Gregory. Former Villanova coach Jay Wright headlines the campaign, and former Gonzaga star Damontis Sabonis – who currently plays for the Sacramento Kings – is also participating.

As part of the deal, both players stopped by their local Great Clips salons to get fresh haircuts, which will be featured in social content leading up to and throughout March Madness. Filipowski is expected to be a first-round pick in this summer’s NBA draft. Gregory is one of the leaders on the 16th-ranked K-State women’s team.

“Winning during March Madness is all about doing the little things right,” Lisa Hake, vice president of marketing and communications at Great Clips, said in a statement. “For fans, that starts with a confidence-boosting haircut from Great Clips before tipoff so they can look great cheering their favorite teams and players. And who better help deliver the ‘Wright’ and ‘Wrong’ ways to enjoy March Madness than a national championship-winning coach like Jay Wright.”

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Ritz launches star-studded NIL campaign

Another official NCAA sponsor is jumping into the NIL space just in time for March Madness.

Ahead of this year’s men’s and women’s tournaments, Ritz launched a marketing campaign to promote its two new toasted chip flavors. As part of activation, the snack cracker company is working with 16 top college basketball players.

Headlined by names like Armando Bacot, Donovan Clingan and Hunter Dickinson, it was one of the first major NIL campaigns launched ahead of this year’s March Madness. Athletes will post on their social media channels to get the word out about Ritz’s new flavors.

“We are putting all our chips on the NCAA March Madness tournament this year, and we’re thrilled to be back for our second year to share two, delicious new toasted chips flavors,” Ritz toasted chips’ senior brand manager Jennifer Sobolewski said.

The snack cracker company also tapped on Florida Gulf Coast’s Brandon Dwyer, Arizona’s Caleb Love, South Carolina’s Meechie Johnson, LSU’s Trace Young and Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler. On the women’s side, USC’s Juju Watkins and Stanford’s Cameron Brink are two of the biggest names in the game, and they’re part of the deal. Those aren’t the only stars. Ritz is working with North Carolina’s Alyssa Ustby, Arizona’s Jada Williams, Cal’s Mia Mastrov, South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley, Texas’ Shaylee Gonzales and Indiana’s Sydney Parrish.

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StubHub signs big Ticket NIL deal

As Providence prepared for this week’s Big East Tournament, StubHub signed a big-Ticket Friars player to a unique NIL deal.

Ticket Gaines joined forces with the ticket exchange company as a StubHub Partner just in time for the postseason.

“I don’t know if you’ve seen StubHub @ me on X last night, but I think it’s about time they found me,” Gaines said in a video promoting the deal. “I’m excited to announce that we will be working together. I’m an official StubHub ticket partner. We’re gonna work together on some cool giveaways and some cool promotions. So, stay tuned.”

The former Tennessee and George Mason guard has been a consistent piece for Providence this year, averaging 9.8 points, which ranks fourth on the Friars roster. He had a solid performance in the Big East tournament opener against Georgetown, pouring in 15 points as Providence cruised to the 74-56 victory against the Hoyas. He played 21 minutes in Providence’s upset Thursday over Creighton.

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Adidas grows women’s basketball NIL presence

Texas A&M sophomore women’s basketball standout Janiah Barker joined the Adidas family through a new NIL deal facilitated by the Texas Aggies United collective. Barker is represented in NIL dealings by Excel Sports Management.

Barker, the former No. 3 recruit in the country and the highest prospect to ever sign with the Aggies women’s basketball team, averaged 12.2 points this season for the Aggies. She has more than 43,000 followers on social media.

This is the second footwear-related NIL deal for Barker. She previously promoted a deal with Crocs in February.

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Juju Watkins, Boogie Ellis ink Morgan & Morgan deals

Two of USC’s biggest stars are joining forces with the largest injury law firm in the country. Trojans women’s basketball sensation Juju Watkins and men’s basketball star Boogie Ellis signed NIL deals with Morgan & Morgan.

Watkins played a critical role in USC’s success this year, leading the Trojans to a 26-5 record and a Pac-12 women’s basketball tournament title. Her 27 points per game ranks second in the nation only to Iowa standout Caitlin Clark. As for Ellis, he sits tied for first on the USC roster with 16.6 points per game while shooting a team-leading 41.9% from three-point territory.

“We are honored to partner with JuJu, Boogie and the entire USC community,” Morgan & Morgan said in a statement. “JuJu and Boogie are some of the most elite athletes in their sport, and their determination to succeed aligns well with Morgan & Morgan’s values.”

Morgan & Morgan has been a key player in the NIL space, notably securing deals with the Kentucky men’s basketball team last month and former Georgia tight end Brock Bowers in October 2022. All told, the firm has signed more than 50 athletes – and two of the most notable names at USC are now on board.

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NU’s Jordy Bahl signs NIL deal with Midwest Bank

Nebraska star pitcher Jordy Bahl is missing this season because of a season-ending injury. But she’s not missing out on NIL opportunities from her resume as one of the most dominating players in college softball.

Bahl announced a new NIL deal with Midwest Bank, a Nebraska-based financial institution.

“Community means something different to everyone,” Bahl said in a video promoting the deal. “But for me, it means cheering on those around you during the good times and helping them out during the tough times.”

Bahl is a Papillion, Nebraska, native, who returned home to Nebraska after two years at Oklahoma. She led the Sooners to win back-to-back national championships, was named a first-team All-American, National Player of Year Top 10 Finalist, and the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in each of her two seasons at OU.

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Ohio State stars promote ‘Pizza with the Bucks’

At Ohio State, top men’s basketball players Bruce Thornton and Zed Key, All-Big 10 softball infielder Kami Kortokrax and All-Big 10 tennis player Sydni Ratliff have a new NIL deals to promote “Pizza with the Bucks” frozen pizza through their partnership with The 1870 Society collective.

The pizza is sold exclusively at Giant Eagle stores. Haystack Sourcing Solutions – which has worked with other colleges athletes in the NIL space – is developing the products, in conjunction with Giant Eagle and The 1870 Society. 

“Giant Eagle was where I always shopped with my parents growing up,” Kortokrax said. “So, the first time I walk in there and see the pizza, it’s going to have to be with my parents. It will be an incredible moment that still doesn’t feel real.”

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Big Ten football players sport new cars

Jeremiah Smith will be driving around Columbus, Ohio, in style throughout his freshman season.

The Ohio State wide receiver and No. 1 prospect in the 2024 recruiting class inked an NIL with Ricart Automotive, the car dealership announced on social media on Tuesday. Along with veteran EDGE Jack Sawyer, the five-star recruit received keys to a new car in exchange for social media promotion and appearances at events.

Plus, Ohio State-driven NIL collective The Foundation announced Caleb Downs received the keys to a new Land Rover through his partnership with the donor-led organization. Through his work with the collective, the former Alabama transfer promoted several charities, including LifeTown Columbus. In exchange for signing on as an ambassador to The Foundation’s charity partners, he will drive around in a Land Rover this season.

Michigan graduate defensive back Quinten Johnson signed an NIL deal Randy Wise Automotive.

Johnson originally declared for the NFL draft in February, but the deal signals that he’ll be back in Ann Arbor in 2024. Johnson is one of several U-M football players to have signed deals with Randy Wise Automotive, which has played a key role in the Wolverines’ NIL efforts.