• by Wayne Friedman , April 2, 2025

Growing NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) sponsorship deals for college athletes have now widely expanded to many advertising categories and are now valued at more than $1 billion, according to SponsorUnited.

Highly visible college athletes who appear on TV and on other media have attracted major brands from March 2024 through March 2025. The list includes video game brand EA Sports -- 146 deals; restaurant chain Raising Cane's (69), as well as Powerade (62), Epsilon (51), and adidas (47).

SponsorUnited notes that Electronic Arts Sports (EA Sports) offered every athlete in the NCAA Division I FBS (the Football Bowl Subdivision), which includes more than 14,000, $600 and a copy of the new college football game for opting into an NIL deal.

Other major NIL brands include clothing brand Hollister (46), Uber (46), Heydude (36), Nintendo (35) and JLabs (24).

The survey notes that apparel/accessories marketers made more than 470 deals over that period, while technology companies made over 370.

Other categories include beverage (non-alcoholic) with more than 275 deals and retail with over 240. Quick-service restaurants, and food products did more than 200 deals.

Major NCAA male athletes who have made deals include: RJ Davis (basketball, University of North Carolina), 25 deals; Cash Peterman (football, University of Arizona), 21; Travis Hunter (football, University of Colorado), 19; Quinn Ewers (football, University of Texas), 17; and Trace Young (basketball, Louisiana State University), 17.

Women from basketball college teams who have made major deals include: JuJu Watkins (University of Southern California), 20; Haley and Hannah Cavinder (University of Miami) 18; Paige Bueckers (University of Connecticut), 16; Deja Kelly (University of Oregon), 16; and Flau’jae Johnson (Louisiana State University), 15.

The survey notes that many of these athletes have a strong social media presence. For example, Bueckers has more than 3 million followers. Travis Hunter is at 2 million.

SponsorUnited says the data timeline is from March 2024 to March 2025 and covers more than 1,700 brands, 3,000 deals, and 4,000 social posts.