STAMFORD, Conn., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SponsorUnited, the leading global sports and entertainment sponsorship intelligence platform, today released its 2024-25 NIL Endorsements Report. This report explores key trends, insights, and future opportunities in this dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape.
With March Madness in full swing, spectators are seeing some of the top-endorsed Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) athletes earn their stripes on and off the court. That ranges from top-endorsed players like UNC’s RJ Davis and USC’s JuJu Watkins to McNeese State University’s Amir Khan, the first student manager to capture brand endorsement deals. NIL endorsements, which launched in 2021, have experienced significant changes over the past 12 months, but an even more transformative shift may be on the horizon. The House v. NCAA settlement, with a final approval hearing scheduled for April 7, could usher in a new era of revenue-sharing by allowing schools to pay their athletes—and potentially redefine the business of college athletics.
“Brands are getting smarter—and more strategic—about how they approach NIL. Some are going all-in on high-profile athletes to maximize exposure during marquee events like March Madness, while others are placing early bets on under-the-radar talent with big upside,” said Bob Lynch, Founder and CEO of SponsorUnited. “Whether it’s a star player, scout team standout, or student manager, the common thread is that brands are leaning into storytelling, real-time relevance, and the cultural currency these athletes now carry. NIL has evolved from a test-and-learn phase into a core part of the sports marketing playbook.”
Key report findings include:
Basketball players overwhelmingly top endorsement ranks
Fittingly, as the sports world is focused on the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments, the majority (seven) of the top 10 most-endorsed college athletes–male and female–are basketball players.
Technology, Beverage, and Retail brand categories are on the rise
As the NIL market continues to grow, certain industry categories are emerging, while others are scaling back. Categories on the rise include technology with over 375 deals, non-alcoholic beverage and retail, each with over 200 deals. Meanwhile, traditionally dominant categories such as Apparel & Accessories, are shifting strategies. Though still holding the largest share of NIL deals (over 470), the category saw a dip in total volume.
Casual, story-driven social posts have highest engagement
Top-performing social posts within NIL deals thrive on humor, authenticity, and subtle branding, seamlessly integrating CTAs without feeling like ads.
Top brands showcase diverse, attention-grabbing strategies
While many brands are increasing their NIL investments, it’s how they’re activating those deals that stand out. Some of the most notable brand activations from the top 10 brands include those from Raising Cane’s (2nd, 69 deals), Hollister (T-6th, 46), Uber (T-6th, 46), and Nintendo (9th, 35).
View the full report here.
About SponsorUnited
Launched in 2018, SponsorUnited is the leading global sports and entertainment intelligence platform, delivering actionable data and insights to build stronger marketing partnerships. We provide unrivaled knowledge across the sponsorship and media landscape so our clients can make impactful decisions that drive business.
With over 403,000 brands, 2.2 million deals, and 21.1 million data points across sports, entertainment, media, and talent, our SaaS platform enables brands, rights holders, and agencies to partner more effectively. By delivering real-time trends, on-demand research, and the most comprehensive data available, we connect the entire sponsorship ecosystem and are rewriting the partnership playbook.
Visit https://sponsorunited.com/ to learn more and discover exclusive data and insights to make intelligent partnership decisions at speed and scale.
