Smell Ya Later Boys

Happy Friday! We’re not actually talking about March Madness today, but I did want to mention two story lines from this past week that I thought were pretty cool.

1. Ever heard of Dyaisha Fair from Syracuse? She's been quietly trailing behind Caitlin Clark in career points but I don’t think anyone outside of Syracuse knew that. She successfully climbed to third place before getting knocked out of the tournament in the second round. So for now, Caitlin’s #1 spot is in the clear, but crazy that in 1 season we had 2 players get in the Top 3 list.

2. If I told you there was a player with the last name Littlepage-Buggs would you believe me? Well she exists, plays at Baylor, and just secured an NIL deal with Raid, a pest control company. I love it.

Well anyways

For today’s story, you may or may not have noticed, but women’s college basketball players are landing significantly more NIL deals than their male counterparts.

We’re gonna tell you why.

Let’s get into it! 👇️ 

TODAY’S STORY
💥WBB PLAYERS ARE OUTPACING THE MEN

WHAT’S GOING ON?

There’s a shift happening right now and it involves women college basketball players outperforming their m*le counterparts with NIL deals.

Viewership, jersey sales, and ticket revenue in women's basketball have surged to unprecedented heights, signaling a golden era for the sport.

However, one area where women are decisively outpacing men is in national marketing deals.

Unlike their male counterparts, women athletes are capitalizing on NIL as it was intended.

While the men are entangled in NIL collectives, partnering with their local Dodge or Chevrolet car dealership, primarily driven by booster-backed organizations, women are seizing national marketing deals with major brands like Nike, Jordan, Adidas, Gatorade, Bose, State Farm, and Buick.

BTW: Those companies I just listed ^ all signed women first once NIL was launched or they are exclusively only working with women.

And that’s not a DEI move, it’s actually a logical move

Here’s why

• One key advantage for women athletes is their longer tenure in college. Unlike top male prospects who often opt for a one-and-done route, women are required to stay in school for four years or graduate early before entering the WNBA draft.

• This extended college stay allows for the cultivation of strong fan affinity over several years, a luxury that men's basketball often lacks.

This is not the type of pro-woman movement anyone thought we’d get with the introduction of NIL three years ago.

But to the men’s credit, there has been a notable shift as more men opt to stay in school longer rather than pursue a one-and-done path.

Because money talks

As the NCAA landscape evolves, women's basketball stands at the forefront of NIL success, reshaping the dynamics of sports marketing.

Can’t say women in sports like softball, soccer, lacrosse or tennis enjoy the the same spotlight as basketball, but that’s just how the cookie crumbles right now.

But for now, it’s a dub for WBB.

Whoop! Now back to your couch and TV’s. Games kick off in 2 hours 🍿