Just in time for March Madness, an official sponsor of the NCAA is stepping into the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) arena.
Ritz has launched a marketing campaign to promote its two new toasted chip flavors, Sweet Habanero and Honey BBQ, ahead of this year’s men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. In a move to engage consumers, the snack cracker company has enlisted the support of 16 top college basketball players.
Featuring prominent athletes like Armando Bacot, Donovan Clingan, Hunter Dickinson, and Juju Watkins, this campaign marks one of the first major NIL initiatives unveiled prior to March Madness. Athletes will utilize their social media platforms to spread the word about Ritz’s latest flavors.
As part of its collaboration with the NCAA, Ritz will be present at the Phoenix Fan Fest during the men’s Final Four next month. Attendees can participate in an interactive basketball shooting game and sample the toasted chips.
“We are placing all our bets on the NCAA March Madness tournament this year, and we’re excited to return for our second year to introduce two delicious new toasted chip flavors,” remarked Jennifer Sobolewski, Senior Brand Manager of Ritz toasted chips.
Roster of Star NIL Athletes for March Madness Ritz has assembled a lineup of top-tier athletes to endorse its new toasted chips. Among them, Bacot stands out with over 253,000 social media followers, boasting impressive statistics of 13.9 points and 10.1 assists per game for North Carolina this season.
Clingan opted to forego the NBA draft for a final year at UConn, where he aims to defend his national championship. Dickinson, now playing for Kansas after transferring from Michigan, is averaging 18 points and 10.8 rebounds this season.
The snack cracker company has also enlisted the support of Brandon Dwyer from Florida Gulf Coast, Caleb Love from Arizona, Meechie Johnson from South Carolina, Trace Young from LSU, and Zakai Zeigler from Tennessee.
On the women’s side, stars like Juju Watkins and Cameron Brink are making waves. Watkins, a freshman at USC, ranks second nationally with an average of 27.6 points per game. Meanwhile, Brink, a senior at Stanford, maintains a double-double with 17.8 points and 12 rebounds per game.
These athletes represent just a portion of Ritz’s impressive lineup, which also includes Alyssa Ustby from North Carolina, Jada Williams from Arizona, Mia Mastrov from Cal, MiLaysia Fulwiley from South Carolina, Shaylee Gonzales from Texas, and Sydney Parrish from Indiana.
