How Arizona State's Jayden Daniels Landed NIL Deal with State Forty Eight
We've seen a handful of Arizona State Sun Devils take advantage of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) laws recently enacted over the summer. Most recently, Arizona State running back Rachaad White launched his own NFT line.
Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels is no stranger to these deals, as Daniels has inked deals with car dealerships, pizza shops (read our review here) and others through the first few months of the season.
Daniels' newest partnership? A sweet deal with State Forty Eight, a wildly popular lifestyle and apparel company that's made an indelible mark in Arizona since first launching in 2013.
Daniels has two shirts in his collaboration, which you can view here. Portions of sales will be forwarded to Daniels and Arizona State.
After grabbing such a monumental collegiate athlete such as Daniels, in an interview with AllSunDevils, CEO and co-founder of State Forty Eight Michael Spangenberg says the team was elated for Daniels to hop on board.
"When I first learned that NIL laws could change for college athletes a few years ago, I was excited at the opportunity—both for the athlete and for a company like ours," said Spangenberg.
"Although this is still so new, we decided it was worth experimenting with because the cost of partnership is much more accessible. We also knew athletes would be motivated to collaborate in order to generate income, so it was something we saw a lot of potential in."
Spangenberg says there was a lot to like about Daniels as a prospective partner.
"Jayden Daniels was attractive to us because not only is he a great player, but he’s the starting quarterback for ASU, who we already license with. It was a natural fit. I also heard nothing but great things about him from a friend of mine who has a relationship with his family," said Spangenberg.
"It made us feel confident in our decision to move forward with him."
The marketability of an athlete like Daniels can pay dividends for companies looking to invest in him. The Sun Devils are currently in the thick of the Pac-12 race to potentially capture a conference championship, propelling Daniels to expand State Forty Eight's potential market.
"We are still in the early stages of the deal, but there has been a lot of buzz and curiosity about this partnership," said Spangenberg.
"What I’m most excited about is continuing to develop the relationship and for our brand and his to grow in exposure with new audiences. Collaborations is a major piece of our business for that reason—to build community."
When asked if the new deal with Daniels could expand into other ventures for other Arizona State athletes, Spangenberg says they're still learning how to navigate the new NIL roads while also seeing exciting doors for the future potentially opening.
"I do – and other Arizona college athletes as well," said Spangenberg. "The focus at the moment, as we navigate through this deal with Jayden and continue to have conversations with other college athletes and their marketing teams, is to learn what works and what does not work. My vision for the future is to implement a State Forty Eight athlete division with a variety of offerings.
"I can see other businesses similar to ours also using this as an opportunity to leverage their brand. It’s an exciting prospect."
If you’re interested in one of the custom designs State Forty Eight created with Daniels or learning more about the brand, visit www.statefortyeight.com.
If you are a college athlete with ties to Arizona and are interested in working with State Forty Eight, please visit their profile at www.iconsource.com. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @statefortyeight.