Nil Trends & Statistics
March Madness momentum builds new opportunities for advertisers
45% of March Madness viewers skip the regular season, yet 9.4 million watched tournament games in 2025—unlocking reach on TV and streaming.
NIL’s marketing success proves the value of athletes as creators
5 key stats illustrating why March Madness gets big play with marketers
This year, high viewership demonstrates the enduring popularity of the events, name image likeness (NIL) rights are allowing athletes to take part in brand deals, and the women’s league continues to make a bigger splash than in years past.
March Madness ad inventory nearly sold out as NIL talent drives demand
NIL fuels March Madness ad boom: College athletes are reshaping brand strategy as ad inventory sells out and real-time deals surge.
FAQ on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Marketing
As college sports amateurism dies, marketers are increasingly working with student-athlete influencers.
What keeps Nike at the top of its game?
Nike’s close connections to sports and sneaker culture keep it on the top of Gen Z’s list of favorite brands while its cutting-edge sneaker technology makes the brand a must-have for runners. But Nike must use a mix of D2C and wholesale commerce if it wants to defend its title from the competition.
How name, image, and likeness rights have changed the game for college athletes
In the year since NCAA athletes have been able to cash in on their names, images, and likenesses (NIL), celebrity college athletes are just catching up to the opportunities other celebrities have.
Powerful data and analysis on nearly every digital topic.
Become a ClientWant more marketing insights?
Sign up for EMARKETER Daily, our free newsletter.
Thanks for signing up for our newsletter!
You can read recent articles from EMARKETER here.- Learn about what technologies are transforming your industry
- Gain exclusive perspectives from top industry leaders
- Access thousands of data sets and forecasts via our iconic charts