UNC’s Davis and USC’s Watkins Lead the Charge in the Thriving NIL Market

Basketball players are currently leading the way in name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. According to SponsorUnited, a company that tracks sponsorship data, RJ Davis from North Carolina and JuJu Watkins from USC stand out as top earners among male and female athletes over the past year.

Davis has secured 25 NIL deals, the highest for male athletes. Close behind are Arizona’s punter Cash Peterman with 21 deals and Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, with 19. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and LSU basketball player Trace Young have 17 deals each.

On the women’s side, Watkins boasts 20 NIL agreements. The Cavinder twins, Haley and Hanna from the University of Miami, have collectively attracted 18 deals. UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Oregon’s Deja Kelly have 16, while LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson follows with 15.

The NIL landscape has rapidly transformed into a billion-dollar industry since its launch four years ago. “Basketball thrives in NIL deals due to its mix of visibility, personality, and cultural impact,” says Bob Lynch, CEO of SponsorUnited. The data emphasizes the increasing appeal of women’s college basketball. Women athletes are outpacing men in social media engagement.

Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins exemplify this trend. Their journeys are closely monitored from high school through college, building a strong fan base. Bueckers, who helped lead UConn to the Final Four, gained 3 million followers in the last year—1 million more than any male athlete—and has the highest engagement with her posts. Notably, eight of the ten athletes with the most engaged audiences are women.

Shannon Scovel, a professor at the University of Tennessee and former Division I swimmer, shared insights on this shift. “Companies are starting to see that investing in women’s sports is smart,” she said in an interview. “It used to be thought that only certain men’s sports could bring in profits, but women’s sports have proven they can deliver a good return on investment.”

Additionally, key findings in the report reveal:

– Hezly Rivera, a gymnast and LSU commit, boasts social media engagement that rivals stars like Travis Hunter and Cooper Flagg.
– Major brands leading the NIL charge include EA Sports, Raising Cane’s, Powerade, Epsilon, and Adidas.
– A striking 75% of the top 150 most engaged social media posts came from female athletes.
– Interestingly, while many top female athletes are stars, only three of the leading male endorsers are starters. Peterman hasn’t played since 2022, and Young’s time on the court last season was minimal, with no significant contributions.

Despite a slight rise of just 1% in tracked NIL deals from last year, sectors like technology and nonalcoholic beverages have seen noteworthy growth. In contrast, retail and apparel brands have reduced their involvement in NIL agreements.

As the NIL space continues to evolve, it’s clear that both men’s and women’s sports are gaining traction, showcasing the value of athletes beyond traditional roles. This shift not only impacts their earnings but also reflects broader trends in sports marketing and fan engagement.



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