Since the new Name, Image, and Likeness policy was put into place by the NCAA last July, many student-athletes across the nation have received benefits by promoting a business through social media and other outlets.
For athletes at the University of Arkansas, one of the big names in “NIL” opportunities has been Wright’s Barbecue in Johnson and Bentonville.
Wright’s Barbecue has teamed up with 40 Razorback athletes through various gift card and merchandise deals, as well as royalty deals through two baseball players in [autotag]Robert Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Turner[/autotag]. Moore and Turner’s deals include special menu items that fans can purchase at Baum-Walker Stadium including “Turner’s Oppo Taco”, a walking taco named after Michael Turner, and Robert Moore’s “Big Bob Brisket.”
Wright’s Barbecue has struck yet another deal with members of Arkansas athletics, the entire softball team.
Tweets from athletes such as [autotag]Mary Haff[/autotag], [autotag]Hannah Gammill[/autotag], and [autotag]Kacie Hoffman[/autotag] began circulating following the Razorbacks’ SEC Tournament Championship win last Sunday over Missouri, which proclaimed that they were now “Wrights Athletes.”
Proud to announce I am sponsored as a #Wrightsathlete #bodybywrightsbbq @wrightsbarbecue
— Mary Haff (@HaffMary) May 17, 2022
proud to announce that I’m sponsored as a #Wrightsathlete #bodybywrightsbarbecue
— hannah gammill (@hannahgammill) May 17, 2022
Excited to announce I will be sponsored by Wrights Barbecue!! If you haven’t already, make sure to go eat at the best barbecue in Arkansas! #wrightsathlete @wrightsbarbecue
— Taylor Ellsworth (@TaylorEllz10) May 16, 2022
Jordan Wright with Wright’s Barbecue tells Razorbacks Wire that the idea for the NIL deal came from attending a youth softball game.
“We ran into (head coach) Courtney Diefel and Hannah Gammill at my daughter’s softball game and I was like, we need to get this done for you all,” says Wright. “Y’all are having a great season and it would be fun for all players before regionals started. They all jumped on board.”
Wright’s Barbecue is a staple among Razorbacks fans and athletes alike. With the NIL rule now being used as a factor in promoting business, Wright’s wants to give back to the student-athletes who regularly patronize their restaurants.
“We like to be proactive and ask athletes to do deals instead of fielding requests all of the time,” says Wright. “We want to make it easy for athletes to get deals, not harder.”
This is the second such NIL opportunity that Arkansas Softball has inked. Last month, Everett Buick GMC partnered with Arkansas Softball in a team-wide deal that promotes more visibility in women’s sports through Buick’s “See Her Greatness” campaign.
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