The NIL Store, the athlete-driven apparel brand from Campus Ink, has officially become a licensed apparel partner of ESPN, making it the first NIL apparel provider for the most recognized name in sports media. The move puts NIL Store gear on merch.espn.com, ESPN's official merch store, and opens the door to co-licensed collegiate and pro apparel built around the athletes fans already know and love.
Why the ESPN Partnership Matters for Fans and Athletes
For nearly 50 years, ESPN has defined how fans experience sports: every buzzer-beater, walk-off, and signature storyline. The NIL Store has built its business around that same energy, just expressed through apparel. This partnership brings those two worlds together: ESPN's platform and storytelling, paired with the NIL Store's athlete-first approach to officially licensed merch.
"When fans watch the biggest moments, they want to carry those memories with them forever. We take pride in meeting every one of those moments with merch worthy of them, while doing it in a way that puts athletes first. There's no bigger stage to do that on than ESPN," said Steven Farag, co-founder and CEO of Campus Ink and the NIL Store.
Access to ESPN's Full Portfolio of Franchises
Through the partnership, the NIL Store gains access to ESPN's wide-ranging portfolio of franchises, including SportsCenter and more. That breadth means the NIL Store can capitalize on both athlete-driven NIL moments and everyday fan apparel, covering the full spectrum of how people show up for the sports and stars they love.
"This partnership is the next big leap in allowing collegiate athletes to benefit from the cultural impact created through so many great storylines in college athletics, said Adam Cook, Campus Ink and NIL Store Vice President of Sports.
A Milestone in the NIL Store's Rapid Growth
The ESPN partnership builds on a fast-moving run for the NIL Store. The brand already supports more than 150 universities and over 40,000 collegiate athletes, and has expanded into players' association licensing with the WNBPA and MLBPA, along with conference and NCAA-level partnerships as the official championship apparel provider for the BIG EAST and a licensing partner of the Big Ten and NCAA.
"ESPN and Campus Ink are the perfect partners to meet the moment through athletes and apparel," said Mark Cuban, Campus Ink investor.
What's Next
Product from the ESPN partnership begins reaching fans later this year, with a slate of releases planned around the moments that define the sports calendar, from breakout performances to championship runs. Shop the latest officially licensed collegiate and NIL gear now at nil.store, and look for ESPN co-branded product on merch.espn.com.
About the NIL Store
The NIL Store is an athlete-first marketplace that lets fans buy officially licensed gear that directly supports the athletes who inspire it. Supporting more than 150 universities and 30,000+ collegiate athletes, with licensing across the WNBPA, MLBPA, the BIG EAST Conference, the Big Ten Conference, and now ESPN, the NIL Store is one of the fastest-growing names in athlete-driven apparel, built to meet every major sports moment with merch worthy of it.
About Campus Ink
The NIL Store is a brand of Campus Ink, a vertically integrated collegiate apparel and merchandise company with its own production and fulfillment center in Urbana, Ill. Beyond the NIL Store, Campus Ink's brands include a Greek Total Merch Management program serving national fraternity chapters and a collegiate student design program. In-house production gives Campus Ink the speed and control to meet the moment — designing, printing, and shipping the gear fans want, when they want it.
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