Notre Dame's Sam Hartman inks NIL deal with Dollar Shave Club
Sam Hartman has found plenty of success in the name, image and likeness realm.
The sixth-year quarterback transferred to Notre Dame this offseason, giving him the shot to perform in the national spotlight. With that, he’s become even more marketable wearing the golden helmet. Brands have lined up to work with him.
His most recent endorsement deal may have been made for him, though. Hartman has inked an NIL contract with Dollar Shave Club, posting a reel on Instagram promoting the brand on Tuesday night. With one of the most recognizable beards in college football, it’s a no-brainer for the company to partner with the Notre Dame quarterback.
“Getting ready for GameDay starts here,” Hartman wrote in the caption of his post. “Thanks to Dollar Shave Club for the setup. Been loving this six-blade razor to keep my beard precise and clean. Join the club to get what you need while heading back to school!”
The former Wake Forest transfer has been the answer at quarterback in Year 2 for Marcus Freeman. The Fighting Irish are 4-1 and ranked No. 11 in the country, coming off a 17-14 loss in South Bend to Ohio State. Hartman was 17 of 25 for 175 yards and a touchdown in the game; he’s yet to throw an interception this season.
Dollar Shave Club has been an active brand in NIL, crafting deals with some of the biggest names in college sports. The brand brought on former Gonzaga basketball star Drew Timme as its first college ambassador in March 2022, ahead of the NCAA tournament. As part of the deal, Timme had his own “Nothing But Chin Bundle,” on the company’s website. Former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young signed with Dollar Shave Club in August 2022.
Dollar Shave Club is a brand under the Unilever umbrella, which is an official corporate partner of the NCAA.
Sam Hartman’s growing NIL portfolio
Repped by Vayner Sports, Hartman enrolled at Notre Dame with preexisting deals with brands like Bojangles, Candy Digital, Dove and Wahl Grooming. Since August, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound quarterback has added five new partnerships. Along with his well-known name, he’s built a major social media brand, too, with more than 160,000 followers.
In August, he became the first Notre Dame athlete to sign an agreement with Under Armour. The sportswear company re-signed the Fighting Irish to a new 10-year apparel contract valued at more than $10 million annually in cash and gear this summer, according to Yahoo Sports. As part of the agreement, Hartman gifted each member of the team a new pair of SlipSpeed shoes before the trip to Dublin for the Week 0 matchup against Navy.
Three days after gifting the entire SlipSpeeds, the quarterback announced an endorsement deal with Beats by Dre. As part of the agreement, Hartman gifted every teammate a pair of headphones. He also inked an agreement with Topps earlier this month.
And right before last weekend’s matchup with Ohio State, Hartman partnered with Homefield Apparel to release a Sam Hartman T-shirt that features the quarterback with his signature and the slogan “Victory March,” an ode to Notre Dame’s fight song.