LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne enters exclusive NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards
Livvy Dunne has seen her NIL empire drastically grow over the past two years and counting.
The most followed college athlete on social media has agreed to NIL deals with brands like American Eagle, Accelerator Active Energy, Forever 21 and Motorola. Dunne has a multi-year agreement with Vuori, and she recently appeared in SI Swimsuit and Elle.
Now the LSU gymnast has an exclusive partnership with Leaf Trading Cards. The agreement calls for the release of a series of limited-edition trading cards designed to feature Dunne’s most iconic moments, breakthrough performances and personal milestones. Terms of the deal were not released.
While she did sign with Leaf back in December, this announcement marks the beginning of a long-term relationship between the two parties. Her autograph card from this past winter was part of the Pop Century Influencer Series.
“We are thrilled to welcome Olivia Dunne to the Leaf Trading Cards family,” Leaf CEO Brian Gray said in a statement. “Olivia’s incredible athleticism and unwavering commitment perfectly align with our values, making her the ideal partner for this endeavor. Together, we aim to create a collection of trading cards that not only celebrate her achievements but also offer fans and collectors a tangible piece of her extraordinary journey.”
Trading cards remain popular NIL deal
Leaf has worked with a number of high-profile athletes in the NIL Era, working with Tennessee quarterback signee Nico Iamaleava and USC Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams. In July, Leaf also announced a new partnership with Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis and running back Trey Benson. Nebraska pole vaulter and social media influencer Jess Gardner debuted the first track-and-field student-athlete featured on a trading card last week
Topps has emerged as a winner since it secured trading card rights deals with nearly 200 student-athletes across college football and basketball last June. Panini America recently released signed Texas quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, who saw his inaugural trading card auctioned off at $103,000 for charity.
“Olivia Dunne, has proven herself to be a trailblazing figure in the gymnastics realm,” Leaf’s director of marketing CJ Breen added. “With numerous accolades and a passionate global fan base, she has solidified her place as a true inspiration to aspiring athletes and enthusiasts alike.”
Livvy Dunne using NIL deals to give back to teammates
Repped by WME’s Garrett Yaralian and Jason Rosenberg, Dunne has crafted a brand that resembles her beliefs. She has also turned down plenty of NIL opportunities. A speaker at the inaugural On3 Elite NIL Series, she shared lessons learned in NIL with some of the nation’s top recruits.
Signing every deal that is offered is not sustainable, she said. Plus, it isn’t a smart decision. College athletes have quickly learned that the brands they align with are also a representation of them.
“I would say taking your time to pick your brand deals and to be picky,” she told On3. “There’s no problem in saying no to brands if it doesn’t feel right to you.”
The gymnast and NIL star established “The Livvy Fund” in early July, partnering with the collective Bayou Traditions. As part of the initiative, On3 and Accelerator have committed funds to support Tiger athletes with financial opportunities and business guidance.
A first-of-its-kind move in the NIL space, the fund will place an emphasis on equitable access to deals and funds. The Livvy Fund will ensure Bayou Traditions provides opportunities to her peers, thanks to help from Dunne’s brand partners.
Livvy Dunne’s massive NIL brand
During her freshman season, Dunne earned All-America honors on the uneven bars, including a 9.90 score at the NCAA championships and a career-best 9.925 on the event. She appeared in four meets this past season, as the former USA National Team member dealt with various injuries.
Livvy Dunne has a $3.3 million On3 NIL Valuation, only trailing USC signee Bronny James ($6.2 million). Her valuation ranks No. 2 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 most followed college athlete has more than 7.7 million TikTok followers paired with another 4.3 million on Instagram.
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.
About On3 NIL Valuation, Brand Value, Roster Value
While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career. The On3 NIL Valuation calculates the optimized NIL opportunity for athletes relative to the overall NIL market and projects out to as long as 12 months into the future.