The Tigers have moved quickly to turn the page from 2025 and position themselves for the future, and nothing illustrates that shift more clearly than LSU’s latest partnership with Nike.
On Thursday, Nike announced LSU as the flagship school for its first-ever Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program, a significant move that elevates the university into a unique position within college athletics. The decision stood out given Nike’s deep relationships with traditional power brands such as Alabama, Texas, Southern California, Oregon and Georgia.
Instead, the company chose Baton Rouge.
Nike’s selection reflects more than uniforms or brand aesthetics. It is a recognition of LSU’s long-standing success in developing high-profile athletes across multiple sports and its advanced approach to name, image and likeness operations.
LSU has produced a wide range of modern sports figures who transcend their sports. Former quarterback Joe Burrow became a national icon during his Heisman Trophy and national championship season. Jayden Daniels emerged as one of the first true NIL-era Heisman winners. Ja’Marr Chase has grown into one of the NFL’s most marketable stars.
In women’s basketball, Angel Reese became one of the most recognizable athletes in the world during LSU’s national championship run, while Flau’Jae Johnson has combined on-court success with a growing presence in music and media. LSU gymnastics star Olivia Dunne was one of the highest-valued NIL athletes in the country. Former LSU pitcher Paul Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB draft, quickly became one of baseball’s most visible young stars.
That legacy extends beyond current athletes. Shaquille O’Neal remains one of the most recognizable global ambassadors associated with any university, while LSU alumni such as Mondo Duplantis, Sha’Carri Richardson and Lolo Jones have carried the brand onto the international stage.
Nike’s decision was also rooted in infrastructure. LSU built its NIL framework early, developing a full-time staff, compliance systems, legal processing, valuation models and professional content production well before many schools formalized similar operations.
That structure became increasingly important as NIL rules evolved to require third-party review, market-value justification and documented deliverables for deals exceeding $600.
As part of the launch, Nike selected 10 LSU athletes from across multiple sports, including football, basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, baseball and softball. The group includes Trey’Dez Green and DJ Pickett (football), DJ Thomas and Za’Kiyah “Z” Johnson (basketball), Kailin Chio (gymnastics), Jurnee Robinson (volleyball), Derek Curiel and Casen Evans (baseball), and Tori Edwards and Jayden Heavener (softball).
The selection underscores Nike’s intent to evaluate NIL across a broad athletic ecosystem rather than focusing exclusively on revenue sports.
The partnership also strengthens LSU’s recruiting pitch at a time when NIL resources increasingly influence coaching moves and player decisions. With corporate-backed deals becoming more prominent, LSU’s ability to deliver compliant, scalable NIL opportunities has become a competitive advantage.
Nike did not simply choose a school. It selected a platform. In Baton Rouge, it found one built to operate at the next level of college athletics.
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