In a groundbreaking turn for college sports, female student-athlete participation in name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals has shot up by more than 120% in the latest fiscal year. That’s a huge leap, and honestly, it’s about time women in college athletics started getting this kind of recognition.
Learfield, a big name in collegiate sports marketing, reported that student-athletes took part in multimedia rights partnerships worth over $300 million. The most sponsored sports? Football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, and softball.
Unprecedented Growth in NIL Deals for Female Athletes
The last fiscal year saw a wild jump in NIL deals for female athletes. Learfield’s numbers show deals went from 2,136 in fiscal year 2025 to 4,772 in 2026—so, more than double.
That’s an increase of 2,636 deals, and it’s part of a bigger wave: over 5,000 NCAA student-athletes joined NIL activities, according to the Learfield Impact report. It’s not just about the numbers; it feels like a real step forward for gender equality in college sports.
Key Factors Driving the Increase
What’s behind all this growth? A few things jump out:
- Increased Visibility: Female athletes are getting more media attention, which means more people notice them—and that’s good for business.
- Supportive Legislation: New laws and rules have made it way easier for female athletes to cash in on their own brands.
- Corporate Interest: Brands are waking up to the value female athletes bring, and they’re eager to team up.
Multimedia Rights Partnerships: A $300 Million Milestone
Student-athletes were part of more than $300 million in multimedia rights partnership revenue. That’s a massive number and kind of hard to wrap your head around.
Learfield used big partnerships—think Ohio State University and the University of Tennessee—to show how NIL deals can actually work. These partnerships led to over 1,700 multimedia revenue deals, which is almost double what they managed the year before.
The Role of Major Universities
Universities are a huge piece of this puzzle. Places like Ohio State and Tennessee really help make these NIL deals happen and give student-athletes a stage to shine.
By providing opportunities for athletes to take part in all sorts of NIL activities, these schools help boost their marketability and, honestly, their bank accounts too.
Top Sports for Sponsorships
Learfield says the top five sports for sponsorships are:
- Football
- Men’s Basketball
- Women’s Basketball
- Baseball
- Softball
Football and men’s basketball still rule the roost, but women’s basketball and softball cracking the top five? That’s a big deal for women’s sports and their commercial appeal.
Common NIL Activities
So, what are student-athletes actually doing with these NIL deals? According to Learfield, the most common activities are:
- Serving as a company’s brand ambassador
- Video/photo production shoots
- Social media amplification
- In-person appearances
- Autograph signings
These gigs don’t just pay the bills—they help athletes build their personal brands, which could really matter down the road.
Case Studies: Successful NIL Partnerships
Some student-athletes have really made NIL deals work for them. Deals with companies like T-Mobile, Marriott, Uber, and AT&T have given athletes a serious boost in both exposure and income.
Learfield has put together 22 national deal partnerships so far, involving 69 colleges and universities in these big campaigns. Not too shabby.
The Road Ahead
The spike in NIL deals for female athletes feels like a real turning point. More companies are seeing the value in working with women athletes, and there’s a sense that this is just the beginning.
It’s not only a win for the athletes themselves—it shakes up the whole college sports scene and maybe, just maybe, sets the stage for even bigger changes ahead.
Conclusion
The data from Learfield’s report, as viewed by USA TODAY Sports, paints a promising picture for the future of NIL deals in college sports.
The increase in participation by female athletes, along with the revenue from multimedia rights partnerships, shows just how important and viable NIL deals are becoming.
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