Livvy Dunne, a 21-year old gymnast from New Jersey, is now by far the highest paid female collegiate athlete in the US. She just signed a deal with Passes (www.passes.com), a small internet publishing company based in Miami and LA. This content creation company offers a platform that allows for creators to engage with their audiences via subscription, paid DMs, 1-1 calls, and livestream, etc. As recently as one month ago the company raised $40 million in a Series A funding round, enabling them to go after athletes like Dunne with multi-million-dollar deals.
Passes recognizes the immense potential of college athletes and their passionate fanbases. They know that these young athletes have some of the most engaged superfans. So, they see Dunne as a powerful role model, particularly for aspiring female entrepreneurs, effectively closing the wage gap for female athletes and hopefully empowering other women to build their own brands.
Her career, and her life, will now be broadcast to the world. Many of her previously private moments will now be live streamed over social media. That would bother some people. Perhaps Dunne is an extrovert who enjoys all the attention. Either way, her fans are in for a treat. The agreement grants them exclusive access into the gymnast's daily life, including behind-the-scenes looks at her training routines, attending live Q&A sessions, and receiving personalized fitness and dieting tips – all directly from Dunne herself.
Dunne does seem pretty thrilled about the possibilities. She told SI "It's a new and unique way for my followers to have access like never before". For Dunne, Passes offers more than just a platform to make money. It's a space where she can take control of her brand narrative and connect with her audience on a deeper level. Passes will let her use her entrepreneurial side to offer exclusive content. Livvy went on to say, "What I think is really special about the platform is that you can one-on-one communicate with your audience, which I think really builds the relationship."
This deal with Livvy Dunne is just the beginning for Passes in the NIL space. The company has hinted at future partnerships with universities and their top athletes. The best and most popular athletes are probably going to be lining up for deals like this. Dunne's deal is not a set amount but has a base amount and then a percentage of engagement, so the amount she ultimately earns is based on her own ability to "put herself out there" and engage with her audience. More hits equates to more dollars paid out under the contract. With Passes, student athletes gain the power to capitalize on their fame and forge their own entrepreneurial paths.
While Dunne ponders her return to LSU for her senior year, one thing's for sure – she's already a winner in the NIL game. And she has broken new ground for college athletes everywhere, particularly female athletes. This innovative partnership with Passes is sure to inspire others to do the same and it will pave the way for a future where content creation goes hand-in-hand with athletic excellence.
As a result of Dunne's recent deal, expect all the top US collegiate athletes to start paying much closer attention to their NIL valuations, because there is now a demonstrable way to monetize those figures. Many young sports stars will follow suit and 'cash in' on their fame. But, at the end of the day, the fans will likely be the biggest winners, as the competition for screen time now extends beyond the playing fields/courts/arenas and into the everyday life of your favorite young sportsmen and women.
[Author's note: Since the time of writing Dunne has jumped into 2nd spot on the NIL rankings, let us see how quickly she reaches number 1].
