THE MONTHLY REPORT

Vol. 47 | June 5th, 2025

June 05, 2025

Good Morning!

It’s been a minute — but we’re back. After a brief pause, we’re shifting to a monthly cadence for these updates. Same insights, same athlete marketing trends, just delivered in a more focused, once-a-month format. Whether you’re a brand, agency, or just curious about where the space is headed, you’ll find something in here to help you stay ahead.

The pause wasn’t a break — it was heads down, building. Over the last month, we’ve been deep in product development, continuing to evolve Out2Win into the go-to intelligence platform for athlete marketing. From agencies to brands, we’re focused on giving our partners the data and tools they need to make smarter, faster decisions.

Standout Sponsorships: May Edition

  • Xaivian Lee x Serious Player Only (SPO)
    Florida Gators transfer guard Xaivian Lee signed a historic NIL sneaker deal with Chinese brand Serious Player Only (SPO), becoming the face of their U.S. expansion. This partnership, along with other deals, brings his total NIL earnings to over $6 million.

  • Adidas Signs Eight High School Basketball Stars
    Adidas expanded its NIL roster by signing eight top high school basketball players, including Bruce Branch III, Oliviyah Edwards, and Caleb Holt, providing them with opportunities to represent the brand as they transition to college.

  • EA Sports College Football 26 Features Star Athletes
    EA Sports unveiled the covers for "College Football 26," featuring Alabama's Ryan Williams and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith. The deluxe edition includes additional players like DJ Lagway, highlighting the game's emphasis on current college football talent.

  • Smith Brothers Partner with No Rivals
    College baseball pitchers Kolten and Kaden Smith, playing for different universities, signed a unique NIL deal with hat company No Rivals, celebrating their sibling rivalry and school pride through a joint campaign.

  • Hunter Dickinson x LinkedIn
    Kansas All-American Hunter Dickinson partnered with LinkedIn in a creative NIL deal, humorously exploring life after basketball and highlighting the transition athletes face post-college.

  • JuJu Watkins x Pottery Barn Teen
    USC basketball star JuJu Watkins added Pottery Barn Teen to her growing list of NIL partnerships, collaborating on an apartment makeover that reflects her minimalist style.

  • Alabama Athletes x Crimson Tide Outdoors
    Four Alabama athletes, including quarterback Ty Simpson, became ambassadors for Crimson Tide Outdoors through the Yea Alabama NIL Collective, promoting the university's new outdoor apparel line.

  • Darius Acuff Jr. x Reebok
    Top Arkansas basketball commit Darius Acuff Jr. signed a multi-year NIL deal with Reebok, becoming one of the faces of the brand's newest basketball shoe and joining a roster that includes Matas Buzelis and Angel Reese.

TRACKING DEALS IS ONE THING. SPOTTING PATTERNS IS ANOTHER.

👉 Use Brand Insights to uncover which brands are spending, what sports they’re focused on, and where there’s room to win. See it in action → here.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: MADI HAYS

47% engagement. 700% growth.

Madi Hays is in a league of her own.

Since February, Kansas softball’s Madi Hays has exploded on Instagram — growing her following by 700% and pulling a staggering 47.97% engagement rate.

She’s not just viral. She’s consistent. Her content drives views, but more importantly, it builds connection — the kind brands are hungry for.

Madi’s now partnered with brands like Adidas, Hey Dude, and Freebird, and she’s just getting started.

On the field, she’s just as impactful — leading Kansas with 10 stolen bases this season and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage across 34 games.

This isn’t just a moment. It’s a movement — and Madi Hays is leading it.

Lacrosse Teams Driving Real Influence

The lacrosse community is one of the most engaged in college sports — and brands are taking notice.

We’ve seen a noticeable uptick in team-wide partnerships and campaigns that tap into multiple players from the same roster to hyper-target specific fan communities.

These programs are winning on the field and capturing attention off it. With high engagement and strong team identity, they’re top targets for brands looking to make a meaningful impact.

Each team below is ranked by Out2Win Score — our proprietary measure of influence and engagement.

👉 If you’re looking to uncover which schools are driving real engagement and team-level influence, check out Out2Win’s University Insights to learn more.

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