Name Image Likeness

Iowa Women's Basketball Star Signs Creative NIL Deal for Exclusive Collaboration

Iowa Hawkeyes college basketball star Taylor McCabe inks an exclusive and memorable NIL partnership with a sushi restaurant.

Maddy Hudak

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In this story:

Taylor McCabe, the guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team, is well-known for her 3-point shooting skills, but she's making a lasting impression off the court with an innovative NIL partnership.

Formosa Sushi, located in downtown Iowa City, announced an exclusive name, image, and likeness deal with the college basketball star; The Taylor McCabe Sushi Roll.

“This exciting collaboration celebrates the intersection of sports and culinary creativity with the launch of the exclusive Taylor McCabe Sushi Roll, a specially crafted sushi roll that embodies Taylor’s personal tastes and the vibrant flavors of Formosa,” the press release reads.

McCabe personally contributed to the roll's design, which is exclusively available at Formosa for a limited time.

McCabe spoke in the release on her enthusiasm for the innovative partnership.

“I’m so excited to collaborate with Formosa to create my very own sushi roll,” said McCabe. “I love sushi, and being able to bring this idea to life with a great local restaurant is really special. I can’t wait for fans to try it!”

It features a creative combination personalized by McCabe of shrimp tempura, cream cheese, topped with avocado, eel sauce, mango sauce and tempura flakes.

Iowa Hawkeyes college basketball star Taylor McCabe eats personalized sushi roll for NIL deal in black long sleeve.
Credit: Formosa Sushi Bar

Fans wanting to support McCabe and the Hawkeyes now have a fun way of doing so to support a good cause in tandem.

McCabe will receive a percentage of sales from each roll, but in a cool gesture by McCabe and Formosa, they will both donate a percentage of each roll sold to Habitat for Humanity as selected by McCabe as her favorite nonprofit.

“This NIL deal was important to not just support Taylor but also give back to our community,” Formosa owner George Etre said.

It’s a unique deal in the name, image, and likeness landscape of college sports.

Many fans simply donate a nominal amount to support their favorite teams and athletes, often receiving nothing in return.

McCabe’s deal with Formosa is a standout partnership that gives something tangible to fans in an experience personalized by the women’s basketball star while supporting a local business in the downtown area.

Formosa is located a little over two miles away from Carver-Hawkeyes Arena, so fans could even stop by before or after a game. 

Many college players ink NIL deals with local businesses and restaurants, but this one was clearly done with care and foresight, showing how athletes can expand their branding of name, image, and likeness in a creative fashion.

Recommended Articles

Published
Maddy Hudak
MADDY HUDAK

Home/NIL News