Campus Champs: How NIL Partnerships Score Big for Brands

Collegiate sponsorships have evolved into dynamic strategic partnerships that drive brand recognition and build community trust. With the rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, brands now have new opportunities to form meaningful relationships with student-athletes who represent the next generation of local leaders.

NIL has opened the doors for student-athletes to monetize their personal brands, creating a dynamic new marketplace for companies to engage with highly targeted and passionate audiences. Unlike traditional endorsements, NIL partnerships allow brands to show up in a more personal, authentic way, often with higher trust and engagement than mainstream influencers or professional athletes.

Today’s consumers, especially younger demographics, want authenticity. College athletes are seen as aspirational and relatable, making their endorsements more trustworthy and impactful. By collaborating with these athletes, brands can craft campaigns that resonate on a personal level, driving deeper engagement and loyalty. This innovative approach not only enhances brand perception but also translates into measurable customer growth.

At FNBO, we’ve seen the power of NIL partnerships firsthand. In 2024, we teamed up with Husker basketball’s Sam Hoiberg and Creighton women’s basketball’s Kennedy Townsend to promote our collegiate debit cards through organic social media. The results spoke for themselves: video views climbed, engagement spiked, and traffic to our debit card landing page significantly increased.

Building on that momentum, we’ve expanded our strategy beyond organic content to include paid media efforts such as billboards, mobile trucks, and targeted social campaigns. Whether you’re a national powerhouse or a local business, NIL offers unprecedented access to new markets and the flexibility to experiment with bold, digital-first strategies.

As collegiate sponsorships continue to grow in the evolving NIL landscape, forward-thinking companies are reaping meaningful benefits by aligning business objectives with authentic community values, strengthening both recognition and loyalty. By investing in collegiate talent, companies cultivate trust, drive adoption, and foster enduring growth.

The synergy between collegiate athletics and brand marketing is reshaping how brands use the playbook. These partnerships drive authentic connections in our digitally driven era, where local pride matters more than ever. Institutions not only invest in talented athletes but also in the future of their communities. When companies invest in the success of student-athletes, they’re also investing in the future of their communities. That’s a value consumers notice, and reward with loyalty.

In today’s marketing landscape, brands can’t afford to ignore NIL. It’s an opportunity to innovate, connect authentically, and drive measurable results in ways that traditional marketing simply can’t match. The brands that adapt quickly and creatively will be the ones that thrive in this new era.

At FNBO, we know that when you build partnerships rooted in purpose, you don’t just grow your brand — you grow trust, pride, and community.