Gainer, Hoggatt sign NIL pacts

Amaya Gainer photo courtesy: Gainer

Name, image, and likeness sponsorship deals are a hot topic among collegiate athletes today, and even more so controversial when discussing the gap between female and male student-athletes.

Two Florida A&M University female athletes have been making moves on and off the field this season, taking the opportunity to sign NIL deals during their collegiate careers.

Softball standout Amaya Gainer and track star Aniya Hoggatt have both signed NIL sponsorships with H&R Block through the “A Fair Shot” campaign. This campaign was created to begin a call for change for gender equity in the NIL field and highlighting tax implications of NIL income, as well as advocating for female athletes in general.

NIL was created for college athletes to receive financial compensation in reference to their name, image and likeness, through promotional and marketing endeavors. This can include product endorsements, autograph signings, social media posts and more.

Through “A Fair Shot,” Gainer and Hoggatt will receive 100 percent of their earnings rather than the average 23 percent in comparison to 77 percent that male athletes receive, according to “Cashing In: Women’s Sports and NIL Success Study.”

Gainer is thankful for the opportunity to help initiate change for athletes like herself.

“It means a lot to be able to use my platform to promote different brands,” the health science major said. “I believe women should have the same opportunities as men when it comes to NIL opportunities.”

Amiya Hoggatt photo courtesy: Hoggatt

Hoggatt is one of the four spokeswomen for H&R Block’s campaign and is one of six Historically Black College and University athletes on the 50-women roster. Her current deal consists of various social media posts and media appearances throughout the month of April.

After completing her first NIL deal earlier this year, Hoggatt hopes to bring more attention to inequality within NIL sponsorships through the “A Fair Shot” campaign.

“Before this campaign, I was unaware how large the gap is,” the California native said. “Now that I am, I want to work closely with H&R Block to close it.”

H&R Block’s “A Fair Shot” campaign started in 2022 and has expanded.

Jill Cress, chief marketing and experience officer for H&R Block, is excited about the direction the campaign has taken, but acknowledges that this is only the beginning.

“At H&R Block, we believe in maximum gains for everyone,” Cress said in a release. “And while we’ve seen some progress in closing the equity gap in college sports and NIL deals, there is still lots more work to be done.”