Alabama A&M's Amiah Simmons Lands NIL Partnership With Snickers
When it comes to Name, Image, and Likeness brand deals, it is the women in college sports who continue to clean up. While men's revenue-driving athletes dominate earnings through collective contracts for their on-field skillset, major brand deals continue to appear for college athletes for the other - and perhaps more pure - modality of NIL centered around endorsement deals.
In the influencer-based economy that comprises publicity rights based NIL opportunities, having strong social media acumen is paying dividends - and more often than not - it is the women who have the robust influencer skillset.
Amiah Simmons, a junior guard at Alabama A&M University, announced a partnership with candy bar brand Snickers. Her management company Curran Sports & Entertainment broke the news on social media:
While Alabama A&M is not traditionally a powerhouse in women's basketball - having never notched an appearance in the Women's March Madness tournament - Simmons is utilizing her skillset as an influencer to bring herself and her program into the limelight. Simmons currently has over 100,000 followers on her Tik Tok and Instagram accounts respectfully, and has risen to fame by showing off her basketball skills and providing sneak peaks into the life of a Division-I athlete.
While experiencing success off the court, Simmons is delivering on the court as well. The junior is a key contributor to the Lady Bulldog's team, averaging just under 15 points per game, and has already earned Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors this season.
Major brands have taken notice of the rising star. The Alabama A&M guard is currently part of Meta's NIL Empowerment 3.0 Program, an influencer incubator designed to educate, develop, and provide opportunities for up and coming female student-athletes.
While full details of the endorsement deal are yet to be seen, it is clear that major brands in the U.S. find value in NIL partnerships. In 2021, Mars, the parent company of Snickers, spent over 1.5 billion dollars on advertising. If brands continue to value the reach of college athletes, even a small fraction advertising spend being earmarked for NIL partnerships from these companies can create life changing windfalls for student-athletes.
Amiah Simmons is a basketball player at a HBCU with little historical success, her partnership with Snickers serves as an example that the name on the front of your jersey does not matter in the NIL era. Hustle and a unique voice allows all student-athletes a shot at bona-fide endorsement opportunities.
