LSU's Livvy Dunn Signs 'Multi-Million Dollar' NIL Deal with Passes
As the celebrations continue for LSU's first gymnastics National Championship in program history, NIL trailblazer Livvy Dunne has added a new brand partner to her diverse portfolio. The senior - who has an extra year of eligibility, should she choose to use - has signed a "multi-million-dollar deal" with leading content creator platform, Passes.
One of the most - if not the most - prolific student-athletes across the NIL landscape, Dunne is Passes' first college athlete partner. The platform helps creators diversify their revenue streams, scale their businesses and connect deeper with fans through exclusive content. Dunne has more than 15 million followers across her Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat channels and her partnership will offer fans even more access to the gymnast.
"I am so excited to get on the platform,” Dunne told Sports Illustrated. “Passes lets me use my NIL and my entrepreneurial side to offer my own exclusive content to my followers on a platform that’s safe and easy to use. Rather than representing other brands, this is a place where I can build my brand and have new ways to engage with my audience. What I think is really special about the platform is that you can one-on-one communicate with your audience, which I think really builds the relationship."
Through her Passes partnership, Dunne will offer fans behind-the-scenes content - including livestreams and one-on-one calls - to connect directly to her fans. What she is most excited about is showing how she balances it all, "whether I'm going for a workout or to a red carpet," she said.
“We (at Passes) are incredibly excited to be partnering with Livvy Dunne," shared Passes CEO & Founder Lucy Guo. "She embodies the definition of female empowerment and entrepreneurship. Her talent and personality has captured the world’s attention and we’re excited for fans to be able to further connect with her on Passes. Passes’ partnership with Livvy showcases a new focus area for the company as it looks to support college athletes and provide them with additional opportunities to bring in revenue. Passes provides creators with a more regular income stream than just relying on brand deals.”
Through Passes, creators can offer fans the opportunity to buy access to exclusive content and experiences, including tips, live streaming, one-on-one fan calls and unlockable posts or direct messages. Passes has stringent community and content guidelines, creating a safe environment for all.
In addition to Passes, Dunne's NIL brand roster includes Vuori, Nautica, Accelerator, Leaf Trading Cards, Motorola, Caktus AI, American Eagle and Body Armor, among other partners. Prior to the season, Dunne launched The Livvy Fund- in collaboration with official LSU collective Bayou Traditions - to assist female student-athletes in earning new NIL opportunities.
The next decision on Dunne's plate is what to do - if anything - with her extra year of LSU eligibility from the COVID-19 pandemic 2020 season. Will she stay in Baton Rouge for another year of gymnastics and NIL domination or pursue other opportunities as a professional?
She confirmed that she met with her LSU coaching staff this week to discuss her future and came to a decision, but isn't ready to share just yet.
"I'm really blessed to have had these opportunities here at LSU," she added. "I have more than I could ever ask for. I'm just so grateful."
MICHAEL EHRLICH
Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com