Epsilon, Opendorse launch NIL campaign for every women's NCAA Tournament participant

Ahead of the NCAA Tournament opening play this week, a new brand is entering the NIL space with plans to spend nearly half a million on women’s basketball.

The global advertising and marketing company Epsilon has partnered with the NIL marketplace Opendorse to launch the “Work Together to Win Together” campaign. The marketing initiative will be a first in college sports, offering an NIL deal to every female athlete participating in March Madness.

According to the release, athletes who opt-in will be compensated $500 to promote the brand on Instagram. Along with compensation, athletes can participate in free career planning resources and mentorship through Epsilon. The campaign is scheduled to run from March 19 through April 30.

“We are proud to be the only company extending an NIL offer to every female athlete participating in the Division 1 basketball championship over the next few weeks,” Epsilon chief revenue officer Susan Rothwell said. “‘Work Together to Win Together” is one of Epsilon’s core values and exemplifies our belief that collaboration is the catalyst that unlocks our full potential.”

While the men’s tournament has had the longstanding star power, women’s basketball has emerged as one of the most popular college sports this year led by stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and JuJu Watkins. John Kosner, who led digital media at ESPN from 2003-2017 and is president of media consulting firm Kosner Media, told On3 earlier this week that the women’s tournament’s rise in appeal has “broken through to a new level because of the phenomenon” of Clark.

With 68 teams in the field, Opendorse CEO and co-founder Blake Lawrence estimated Epsilon will be offering deals to 930 athletes.

Brands investing in women’s basketball ahead of NCAA Tournament

March should be a TV ratings bonanza for women’s basketball. According to ESPN, last year’s national championship game averaged 9.92 million viewers, peaking at 12.6 million, the most watched women’s college basketball game to date.

Peyton Manning is launching a new four-part docuseries on Clark and the sport called “Full Court Press” in May. And in early January, the NCAA signed an eight-year agreement with ESPN worth $115 million annually to televise 40 college sports championships each year, including the Division I women’s basketball tournament. The value of the women’s basketball property only appears to be growing, currently valued at about $65 million per year, per The Athletic.

Athletes’ NIL portfolios are evidence of brands wanting to spend on women’s basketball, too. Clark has inked deals with Nike, Gatorade and State Farm, while LSU star Angel Reese holds partnerships with Reebok, Amazon and PlayStation.