NIL deals continue to roll in daily, but there hasn’t been one of this size yet.
On Monday, Mercury – a company that creates exclusive digital-first platforms and communities – inked 54 student-athletes from the University of Kentucky to NIL deals. There are 20 football players and a host of volleyball and women’s basketball players who are a part of the deal.
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Just last week, Wildcats quarterback Will Levis inked a deal with Mercury. Levis is expected to partner with Mercury for the remainder of the college football season through the company’s Kentucky-centric Blue Chips digital platform. The star quarterback will be a monthly guest on Mercury’s “Next Up” podcast with the company’s Vice President of NIL, Adam Breneman.
On the Blue Chips platform, players are able to host live AMA (ask me anything) sessions, they can also share exclusive athlete memorabilia, and join podcast episodes with Levis. Blue Chips launched last year with the Kentucky men’s hoops team.
“Blue Chips is now the go-to experience for any Kentucky fan who wants unmatched access to their favorite players,” Porter Grieve, the CEO of Mercury, said. “We are thrilled to add over 50 fun and dynamic athletes to our growing Mercury team, and we look forward to providing ways for fans to engage with every one of them.”
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Azhani Tealer, an All-American senior on the volleyball team, shared her thoughts on the deal as well.
“Ownership of my voice and image is essential, and while volleyball is my focus, there’s much more to me than my performance on the court,” Tealer explained. “This partnership is the natural choice for athletes who want to have fun with fans and showcase different sides of their personalities.”
