Kentucky Freshman Star Sheppard Inks NIL Deal with Racehorse
The NIL economy often surprises us with unorthodox partnerships and highly creative marketing strategies. Being able to leverage the unique stardom that college athletes have, especially in college towns, makes for mutually beneficial endorsement deals with brands who previously did not have the cash or market incentive to partner with professional athletes. Freshman standout Reed Sheppard has announced a new partnership with WinStar Farm to promote their highly acclaimed horse, Life is Good.
Reed Sheppard a man in high demand. After incredible performances so far in his freshman campaign, the 6'3" shooting guard has shot up mock draft projections often finding himself listed as a top five prospect for the 2024 NBA draft.
With over 85,000 followers on instagram, Sheppard is not only valued as a basketball player, but has major desirability to brands as an influencer, especially in the Bluegrass State. While Kentucky loves basketball and the passionate rivalries it brings, the state lives for horse racing.
According to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association the equine industry is responsible for over 60,000 jobs and $6.5 billion dollars of economic activity annually in Kentucky.
Combining the two sporting passions of the state into one NIL endorsement is a no brainer. While this deal may seem novel, this formula has been used before: Sheppard is already the fourth Wildcat athlete to sign a partnership to promote a racehorse, and the second to promote Life is Good.
Last season, WinStar Farms inked a separate NIL deal to promote the horse with Wooden Award winning Wildcat, and current Indiana Pacer, Oscar Tshiebwe.
Now, with two NIL deals featuring elite college basketball stars under his belt, just who is Life is Good? The horse recently retired after the 2023 Breeders Cup and is now taking up the next chapter of his life with Stallion duties at WinStar Farms. In a career comprising of twelve starts, Life is Good captured nine wins and accrued career earnings mark just north of $4.5 million dollars, roughly equal to the salary of the ninth overall drafted NBA rookie.
In a testimonial, Todd Plecher, who boasts over $480 million dollars in career earnings, eight Eclipse Awards for trainer of the year, and six Triple Crown winning horses described Life is Good as "a beautiful horse. Very impressive to watch. Over the years, we will identify some horses that we call one percenters, the top horses we have had. He is kind of in the top 1% of the 1%." Without a doubt this horse is special, and with accolades to back it, investing in a blue-chip athlete to market a blue-chip horse could be well worth the investment.
Now retired, Life is Good still is a big money player. With a one-time stud fee of $85,000 any attention to the horse that can be brought by the aptly named Sheppard will yield significant returns to WinStar Farm from the NIL campaign. Leveraging college athletes with extreme regional fame to promote regional industries is a winning recipe found in college towns more than anywhere else. Thanks to Reed Sheppard, Life is Good may have a very busy spring.
