MarketPryce Partners with University of Arizona to Support Female Student-Athletes
NIL platform surprises Wildcats with team-wide G.O.A.T. Fuel partnerships
TUCSON, Ariz. (January 19, 2023) – MarketPryce and the University of Arizona today announced an exclusive NIL partnership supporting the Wildcat Women’s Basketball and Softball teams in addition to student-athletes across Women’s Soccer, Gymnastics, Golf, Tennis and Track & Field.
MarketPryce launched the partnership – the company’s first with an athletic department – through surprise team-wide deals for Softball and Women’s Basketball. Respective team leaders Allie Skaggs and Jade Loville shocked their teammates when they uncovered coolers full of G.O.A.T. Fuel, a sports energy drink created by NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and his family.
“The team’s reaction to the surprise was priceless and we’re all so fired up to start working with MarketPryce,” said Skaggs, who led the Pac-12 in home runs last year. “NIL is a huge opportunity for us, so it’s exciting to have a brand like G.O.A.T. Fuel give us our first team deal and help everyone on the squad – especially our younger players – get started in the space.”
More than 30 women across seven teams received free product and paid deals from G.O.A.T. Fuel. Arizona and MarketPryce will continue to bring authentic brand partnerships and support equitable NIL opportunities for Wildcat women.
“This feels like a long time coming for us,” Loville, the Wildcats’ second leading scorer, said. “We’ve been wanting to engage in NIL but weren’t sure how to get started. It’s incredible to see Coach Adia and the entire athletic department invest in our womens’ programs. We’re excited to get to work!”
In addition to connections with national and regional brands, Arizona student-athletes will have access to MarketPryce+, an educational platform featuring NIL best practices on creating authentic and engaging social media content, writing strong brand pitches, building their personal narratives and maximizing value for themselves.
“We saw an opportunity with Arizona to take an innovative approach to NIL education,” MarketPryce CEO and Co-Founder Jason Bergman said. “We don't show powerpoints or presentations, we meet athletes where they are and help them learn tangible skills they can use to maximize brand partnerships and build their personal brands.”
MarketPryce is now part of Arizona Edge, the University of Arizona’s NIL program focused on developing opportunities for student-athletes.
“This partnership with MarketPryce is the newest addition to the NIL programming of student-athletes at the University of Arizona,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke. “Arizona Athletics has led from the front in the NIL space, and MarketPryce is an innovative partner that can help grow NIL opportunities for all Wildcats. NIL is an integral part of the lives of student-athletes as a critical addition to our longstanding Commitment to an Athlete's Total Success (C.A.T.S) program. Arizona Athletics remains committed to its mission of providing opportunities for student-athletes to become academic, athletic and life champions, and supporting the outstanding young women and men in our programs through new NIL endeavors bolsters that commitment.”
Arizona Women’s Basketball is currently ranked No. 19 in the nation and holds high hopes for a deep NCAA Tournament run. Softball has won eight national titles – second in NCAA history – and looks forward to a bright 2023 season this Spring with second-year head coach Caitlin Lowe-Nagy.
MarketPryce has helped more than 3,000 professional, collegiate and high school athletes connect with more than 1,000 brands through its marketplace.
“We’re inspired to lay the blueprint for bringing real, sustained NIL value to student-athletes in coordination with an elite athletic department,” Bergman added. “Launching with two team-wide deals sets a high bar for our partnership, but we expect nothing less from these storied programs.”
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