Female athletes surge in NIL deals as Learfield reports a 123% jump in participation

AI Summary

Learfield reports a 123% increase in female athlete participation in name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals during the 2025-26 fiscal year. Female student-athletes are recognized for their strong brand enthusiasm, social media skills, and storytelling capabilities in the evolving college sports marketing landscape.

College sports marketing company Learfield saw a 123% increase in female athlete participation in name, image and likeness compensation activities over the 2025-26 fiscal year, the company revealed in a report released Tuesday. “What we’re discovering with female student-athletes and their engagement with our brands is they’re excellent content creators and storytellers, they’re generally social media savvy and they have a genuine brand enthusiasm,” Fulp said. Since the NCAA approved NIL compensation in July 2021, high revenue-generating sports like football and basketball have topped the list of earners.