Athletes Layshia Clarendon, Candace Parker, Trevor Lawrence, Alix Klineman, Ashley Sanchez, Donovan Mitchell, Nneka Ogwumike, Tua Tagovailoa, Linnea Strom, Bradley Chubb, Brianna Pinto, Alana Cook, Sis Bates, Sofia Huerta help promote Adidas "Impossible is Nothing" campaign. | Image courtesy of Adidas
Sports brand Adidas moves to launch a “a wide-sweeping, equitable and inclusive Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) network for student-athletes.” The initiative is tied to this year’s 50th anniversary of Title IX. The new program will focus on achieving an enduring goal from the brand: creating a more equitable future in sport.
Adidas has the ability to reach over 50,000 student-athletes across 23 sports and 109 Division NCAA schools (Eligibility dependent on the NIL rules of the athlete’s school and location.). The new program will give eligible student-athletes of all genders the opportunity, directly with adidas, to become paid affiliate brand ambassadors.
The program launches in four phases over the next year, beginning with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Power-5 conference partners in Fall 2022. The network will scale across all Adidas partner schools by April 2023.
This initiative is the latest chapter of the brand’s ongoing “Impossible Is Nothing” campaign, which aims to grow accessibility, celebrate inclusivity, and create a more equitable future in sport where all feel welcomed, encouraged, and supported.
In a released statement, Rupert Campbell, president of Adidas North America says: “At Adidas, we are committed to creating change through sport and recognize the important role student-athletes play in shaping the future. Our groundbreaking NIL program advances our commitments toward building inclusivity in sport and inspires athletes to realize a more equitable world. I can’t wait to see it come to life.”
Fans will see “More Is Possible” tees worn by Adidas teams during warm-ups at both women’s and men’s Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final Four and National Championship games. The shirts will feature language from Title IX legislation, serving as a reminder to push the boundaries of possibility.
The brand continues to invest in partnerships with organizations like Athlete Ally and the McLendon Foundation, and also with notable athletes like Candace Parker and Billie Jean King to “push the game forward.”
