Dayton women’s basketball players ink first compensation deal

“Supporting female athletes this way goes straight to the heart of the Rare Active brand,” said Patty Vanderburgh, a UD grad who’s the founder & CEO of Rare Active, in a press release. “Rare Active’s innovative warm-up pants were designed specifically for the active woman. UD women’s basketball players embody all the confidence, strength, dedication and no-excuses approach that we love. We couldn’t be more proud of this campaign with these inspiring athletes.”

The NCAA allowed all college athletes to profit off their names, images and likenesses starting Thursday. The men’s players will help promote a rental property on Brown Street through their social media accounts starting this weekend.

At Ohio State, Buckeyes offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere signed an endorsement deal with Flix CV, a technology company based in Tampa, Fla. All around the country, athletes were quick to take advantage of their new rights.

Vanderburgh launched Rare Active in November 2018. On its website, the company describes its patented technology: “What makes these pants so unique is the waistband. You can open each pant leg completely which allows you to quickly and easily slip your shoes through the openings. Then, once on your waist, you can easily zip down each pant leg to create a flattering outerwear pant.”

In a press release, Matt Farrell, a former Dayton men’s basketball director of operations who’s now a NIL consultant and student-athlete advocate at 14fifty Partners, praised Vanderburgh’s creative mindset.

“As an online small business, Rare Active is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the opportunities afforded under the current NIL guidelines,” Farrell said. “This is but another great example of businesses in Dayton rallying to support Dayton student-athletes.”

Katie Hill, entrepreneur-in-residence at the Entrepreneurs’ Center in Dayton, also reacted to the deal in a press release. She said Rare Active worked with Real Art, a local creative agency, and Taylored Social, a Dayton-based social media management company, on the campaign.

“It’s thrilling to see the most innovative companies embracing the most cutting-edge marketing and promotions opportunities,” Hill said.