"In 2026, the trend of beauty and lifestyle brands partnering with female athletes is poised to trickle down even further to the college level, where the scope of deals and ad partnerships is still evolving. The hair-color brand and salon network Madison Reed, for instance, began working with the University of Connecticut in 2024 and offers cash and stock to female athletes on its "Team Color Wonder." And last fall, jewelry company Gorjana announced a multi-year partnership with the Arizona State University Sun Devil Athletics."
"Nearly five years after brands got the green light to work with college athletes due to changes in name, image and likeness (NIL) rules, more brands are officially expanding their partnership with NCAA athletes. The space saw over 8,300 deals totaling $80 million as of September 2025, according to the College Sports Commission, which oversees the space. Two months later, there were 12,175 clear deals worth over $87 million."
Beauty, fashion, and personal care brands are increasingly partnering with female college athletes and entire athletic departments. Madison Reed began working with the University of Connecticut in 2024 and provides cash and stock to athletes through its "Team Color Wonder." Gorjana signed a multi-year partnership with Arizona State University Sun Devil Athletics. NIL rule changes enabled brands to expand official partnerships with NCAA athletes, producing over 8,300 deals worth $80 million by September 2025 and 12,175 deals worth over $87 million two months later. Successful partnerships often extend beyond social posts to appear offline and across venues.
Read at Modern Retail
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