We have discussed nonprofits that are in the NIL game, but there are powerhouse for-profit companies that are taking over the field of NIL. The two stars are Nike and New Balance. Nike has taken the approach of partnering with high-profile athletes across various sports, mainly focusing on football and basketball. New Balance, on the other hand, is using a more targeted strategy focused on long-term relationships with their athletes. It’s no surprise that these two are the main contributors to NIL deals for athletes.
Nike has a bunch of talented athletes sponsored by them, but two athletes stand out from their long list. Those two athletes are Shedeur Sanders, the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback, and Caitlin Clark, the standout women’s basketball star from the University of Iowa.
New Balance does not lack star power on their list either. Cooper Flagg, the men’s basketball star at Duke, and Cameron Brink from Stanford women’s basketball—who became New Balance’s first women’s basketball ambassador—are two big names.
Let’s break down each of these four athletes and what they are making from both companies. First, we have Sanders, the flashy Colorado football player making more than many players in the NFL. His NIL profits are next level, and with the help of Nike, he’s earning $5 million from his contract.
Then we have Caitlin Clark, who took over the women’s basketball scene during her time at Iowa. Her contract with Nike is worth $28 million over an eight-year deal. This makes her one of the highest-paid female athletes in terms of NIL.
Now we have New Balance, which is also racking up big-name talent. Cooper Flagg is making waves in the college basketball world. He’s talked about as one of the top NBA prospects, but his NIL earnings might keep him in the NCAA a little longer. He signed a structured five-year deal, with the first year operating under NIL terms while he remains in college. That deal is worth a little over $1 million annually. If he goes pro, the total could rise to $5–10 million.
Cameron Brink became New Balance’s first women’s basketball ambassador back in 2023. The exact details of her contract haven’t been fully released, but it’s estimated to be between $200,000 and $297,000—significantly less than her counterpart Flagg is making. This reflects a trend in NIL deals, which I touched on in my last blog post.
So, what does all this mean? With brands like Nike and New Balance throwing out million-dollar contracts to 18-year-olds, there’s a possibility that some athletes stay in college longer instead of going straight to the league. In the past, many athletes have been one-and-done or two-and-done in college. This new NIL landscape also gives schools with partnerships with Nike or New Balance a leg up in recruiting.
Jack Erskine 