Student-athletes aren’t the only ones cashing in on NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) opportunities.
In what appears to be a fast-emerging trend, college mascots are now starting to land NIL deals of their own. Testudo — the iconic University of Maryland terrapin — made headlines last week by signing an NIL agreement with Brown Boy Nation to release officially licensed apparel benefiting the Testudo mascot program. It looked like a fun one-off story, but it isn’t.
Just a few weeks earlier, Syracuse mascot Otto the Orange became the first college mascot to sign an NIL deal, partnering with The NIL Store in late October. Otto set the precedent. Testudo followed. And both are likely to have company soon as schools discover that mascot branding travels well in the NIL era.
Testudo’s Big Move at Maryland
Testudo, a diamondback terrapin who has represented Maryland since the 1930s, is a fixture at football and basketball games. Multiple students rotate through the mascot role each year after a tryout process.
Brown Boy Nation — a Maryland-based apparel company that went viral last year for its “Crab 5” shirts — recently became officially licensed by the university. The company already maintains several NIL partnerships with Maryland athletes, including:
- Daniel Wingate (football)
- Saylor Poffenbarger (women’s basketball)
- Stephane Njike (women’s soccer)
The Testudo deal mirrors typical athlete NIL structures. Proceeds from apparel sales will help support mascot travel, one of the program’s biggest annual expenses. Maryland officials also hinted that Testudo could earn additional NIL revenue through paid appearances, potentially opening the door for mascots nationwide to monetize their popularity.
Otto the Orange: The Trendsetter
Otto, who first appeared at Syracuse events in the 1980s and became the official mascot in 1995, became the Mascot Hall of Fame inductee in 2023 — and is now the first mascot with an NIL contract.
His partnership with The NIL Store includes:
- A custom Syracuse apparel line
- Proceeds supporting the Otto mascot program
- Integration with the school’s #44 athlete NIL collection benefiting Syracuse football players
Like Maryland’s arrangement, the revenue generated will help fund mascot travel and support future Otto performers.
A New Corner of the NIL Market
Mascots hold unique branding power — they’re recognizable, family-friendly, and often more universally loved than individual players. As universities embrace broader NIL strategies, mascot partnerships represent an untapped lane schools can easily promote.
With Maryland and Syracuse already on board, more mascots are expected to follow as programs explore new ways to generate funding, build fan engagement, and support the students behind the costume.
Learn More About the NIL Landscape
Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.
RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information about athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure behind modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in more depth.
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