Trio Of Quinnipiac Athletes Ink NIL Deal With Local Eatery

The world of NIL deals is quite crazy and can be hard to keep up with. Between billionaire donors getting involved to snag the No. 1 football prospect in the country and some of the biggest companies on the planet inking high schoolers to six and seven-figure deals, it’s a whirlwind of big money, big deals and big headlines. However, on the other end of the spectrum, NIL feels more like what it was intended for, which is deserving, hardworking and maybe lesser known athletes getting a little piece of the pie that they help create.

Those kinds of deals don’t make headlines the way five-star football recruits and Fortune 500 companies do, but they’re still interesting and certainly neat for those involved or for those who could be involved with them in the future. Recently, Audrey Everett, Lauren Knight and Katie Shanahan, from the Quinnipiac University field hockey team signed an NIL partnership with the Whitney Donut & Sandwich Shop, a local spot in the Hamden, Connecticut area. The deal was made possible through Pliable Marketing, who helps athletes in high school, college and even the professional ranks grow their brand and earn as much money as possible.

Whitney Donut & Sandwich Shop is known for its wide variety of breakfast and lunch options and their pastries and donuts have been made fresh every day since 1980. The deal allows Everett, Knight and Shanahan to grab some grub in exchange for posting photos and videos of the place on social media. Not a bad deal for a trio of college field hockey players.

Coincidentally, Roy’s very own director of partnerships and strategy Kevin Tarca, played basketball at Quinnipiac and loves the idea of some fellow Bobcats getting an NIL deal with such a beloved establishment.

“I think it’s amazing to see businesses in the Hamden area leaning in to support student athletes,” Tarca said. “There has always been support from the community, but the current NIL landscape requires that support to be different. Whitney Donut and Sandwich Shop has always been a staple for Quinnipiac students, so to see them level up and partner with athletes directly is an exciting step.”

And when looking at the bigger picture, NIL deals weren’t available when Tarca hooped at Quinnipiac from 2008-2012, but he loves where things are now. At a small school, and with athletes from a lesser known sport like field hockey, NIL is creating cool opportunities that really should be great for everyone involved.

“If NIL had been around when I was playing, I certainly would not have seen life-changing money, despite my heroic 7 career points. But, in all seriousness, the ability to engage with fans and the community to generate some NIL revenue would have opened many opportunities for me. As a walk-on, even a few extra dollars in my pocket would have made a significant difference,” Tarca explained.

“The reality of NIL, which often gets overlooked, is that it operates in two distinct lanes. One lane is what we all know as “pay for play,” which the NCAA refuses to admit. The other lane is genuine influencer marketing, where athletes connect with fans and brands in meaningful, mutually beneficial ways. NIL plays a tremendous opportunity for smaller schools and non-revenue generating sports. This can come in the form of either of the previously mentioned two lanes; whether through a wealthy alum who wants to support directly, or an athlete who wants to leverage their audience. The emergence of NIL might not present an entirely equal playing field at every school, but it opens opportunities that, if leveraged properly, can provide lucrative results for those willing to put in the work.”