Mater Dei High School Sign Massive NIL Partnership With Playfly Sports

With the growth of name, image, and likeness (NIL), Playfly Sports signed a massive 10-year partnership with Mater Dei High School, an athletic powerhouse in Southern California. Playfly Sports also has a partnership with the USC Trojans.

Angela Miele | Mar 22, 2025

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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The growth of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals has taken another massive step. High school athletics are growing with NIL deals, and now a Southern California high school, Mater Dei, signed a massive 10-year partnership.

Mater Dei has signed a historic ten-year NIL deal with Playfly Sports. Playfly Sports is a major sports marketing and multimedia rights organization representing premier athletic departments.

The partnership between Mater Dei and Playfly Sports is the first-ever multimedia rights agreement between an individual high school and a third-party partner. The partnership will help student athletes and the school with sponsorship opportunities, fan engagement, and media exposure.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Playfly Sports has been working in college athletics for multiple years. The USC Trojans are one of the many college athletics that Playfly Sports has a deal with. The company plans to deliver similar revenue growth and brand partnership to Mater Dei as they do with the top college programs.

“Since its inception in 2020, Playfly Sports has grown to become a real force in the high school, collegiate, esports, and pro sports sectors. We emerged with the goal of providing a new and different approach to navigating the sports industry,” the Playfly website says.

“As the fan experience continues to rapidly evolve with the growth of digital streaming and fan engagement, the driving force behind our company is building a digitally enabled, full-service sports marketing business.”

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Mater Dei was once the home to many former USC Trojans. It has produced some of the top football talent from Southern California. Quarterback Matt Leinart and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown are among the notable USC alumni who played football at Mater Dei.

Mater Dei’s Director of Development, Khaled Holmes is also a USC Trojans alumni. Holmes was a center for the USC Trojans from 2008-2012. After the partnership was announced, Holmes made a statement where he credited his time at USC as a reason he wanted this partnership.

“Playfly’s explosive growth is driven by their unique expertise in monetization and fan engagement. We welcomed the opportunity to team up in further elevating the Mater Dei brand,” Holmes said.

“Having had the chance to continue my athletic career at USC and in the NFL, I understand how innovative initiatives enhance the student-athlete experience. This alliance not only supports our student-athletes in new and exciting ways but also reinforces our commitment to leading the way in high school athletics.”

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

This NIL deal with Mater Dei could help an already dominant high school football program grow even stronger. Mater Dei has won five championships since 2017, and produces big time football recruits. With this partnership, Mater Dei can offer bigger opportunities, and bring in more of Southern California’s top athletes.

The USC Trojans have been improving with their recruitment in Southern California. 60% of the current class of 2026 commitments are in-state recruits. With the NIL opportunities at Mater Dei, the USC Trojans could have an easier access at recruiting the state’s top prospects.

The partnership between Mater Dei and Playfly Sports is just the beginning of companies partnering with high schools. As NIL continues to change the landscape of sports, more deals like this will be something to watch for.

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