THE WEEKLY REPORT

Vol. 39 | March 27th, 2025

March 27, 2025

Good Morning!

March Madness is heating up—both on and off the court. From big time campaigns to viral social media moments, brands continue to go all-in on the tournament.

This week, we're diving into the top deals we’ve seen so far, spotlighting the most marketable teams still dancing, and highlighting the most marketable players still in the tournament. Let’s get into it.

March Madness Marketing: Deals, Growth, and Breakout Stars

Top Brand Deals Over the Last Week

  • UCLA’s waterboy Finn Barkenaes x Niagara Bottling — The first-ever waterboy NIL deal goes viral.

  • CELSIUS x 136 players — One athlete from every NCAA tournament team signs on.

  • Koby Brea & Clara Strack x TurboTax — Featured in a national March Madness campaign spotlighting real student-athletes—front and center during one of the tournament’s biggest ad moments.

  • Richie Saunders (BYU) x Ore-Ida — Tater Tot giveaway deal tied to BYU wins.

  • Amir Khan (McNeese State manager) x Topps — Gets his own trading card after going viral.

Spotlight: Amir “Aura” Khan is Cashing In

McNeese State’s viral team manager isn’t just a courtside legend—he’s become an NIL powerhouse. Khan has reportedly signed deals totaling over six figures, partnering with brands like Buffalo Wild Wings, TickPick, Insomnia Cookies, TurboTax, Under Armour, and Topps.

According to Out2Win’s platform, he’s grown over 350% in the last month—more than any other athlete in March Madness. His rise shows just how far NIL has expanded beyond the athletes themselves.

The NIL Heavyweights of the Tournament

Most Marketable Teams in the Tournament

According to Out2Win Score, our AI-powered, all encompassing marketability metric.

Men’s Teams

Duke Blue Devils (94)

  • Led by Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans, and Tyrese Proctor

  • Tremendous reach across both Instagram and TikTok

North Carolina Tar Heels (92) (Eliminated in Round 1)

  • Powered by Elliot Cadeau, a TikTok standout

  • Supported by Ian Jackson and RJ Davis

Michigan State Spartans (90)

  • Led by Coen Carr (300K+ total social reach)

  • Rising talent in Jeremy Fears and Jase Richardson

Women’s Teams

UConn Huskies (96)

  • The most marketable team in the country

  • 5 players with an Out2Win Score above 90—elite across the board

South Carolina Gamecocks (92)

  • Driven by Chloe Kitts, Milaysia Fulwiley, Tessa Johnson, and Bree Hall

  • Strong engagement across both Instagram and TikTok

LSU Tigers (90)

  • Headlined by Flau’jae Johnson, one of the most marketable athletes in college basketball

  • Backed by star forward Aneesah Morrow

👉 Check out Marketing Brew’s article on the most marketable teams in the tournament to learn more

👉 For more marketability data on march madness, request our full March Madness Athlete Marketability report here.

The March Madness Stars Brands Should Know

Most Marketable Athletes Still in the Tournament

According to Out2Win Score, our AI-powered, all encompassing marketability metric.

Men’s Players

  • 🏀 Cooper Flagg (95) – Duke’s superstar freshman is a marketing dream with elite on-court impact and social reach.

  • 🏀 Tahaad Pettiford (92) – Auburn’s explosive playmaker with a growing following—already on brands’ radars.

  • 🏀 Boogie Fland (89) – Steady rise in visibility thanks to clutch performances for Arkansas and strong engagement.

Women’s Players

  • 🏀 Paige Bueckers (98) – The face of UConn and the highest Out2Win Score remaining—brands can’t get enough.

  • 🏀 Juju Watkins (96) – A breakout star and NIL powerhouse (currently sidelined with injury 😔).

  • 🏀 Azzi Fudd (94) – Another UConn standout with national appeal and serious brand value.

👉 For more marketability data on March Madness, request the full 2025 March Madness Athlete Marketability Report here.

 We want your feedback!

We’d greatly appreciate if you would complete this form to provide your feedback on how we can improve our Weekly Report