Name Image Likeness

Purdue’s Rising Star Sophie Swanson Partners with McDonalds

Sophie Swanson is one of several Hoosier State athletes included in McDonald's new #McDonaldsMood campaign

Noah Henderson

Jan 14, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Sophie Swanson (31) reaches for a loose ball along the sidelines during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Sophie Swanson (31) reaches for a loose ball along the sidelines during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

With Caitlin Clark out of the college ranks and into the WNBA, the Big 10 is primed for new athletes to break out and maintain fan interest. Purdue guard Sophie Swanson is one of many exciting Big Ten women’s basketball players set to emerge as a potential face of the league for years to come. Coming off of an impressive freshman campaign off the bench for the Boilermakers, Swanson’s three-point shooting expertise will be an essential part of Purdue’s scheme in their 2024-25 campaign.

Several starting guards have departed the Purdue roster, and Swanson is expected to play a more significant role in her sophomore season. Swanson has quickly made history and does not look to stop. She holds the Purdue freshman record with a 39.4% three-point percentage and a notable 25-point, seven-triple performance in the Big Ten tournament, breaking institutional and conference freshman records. 

Seeing Swanson’s trajectory, McDonald’s quickly invested in her NIL value before her stardom is expected to take off later this year. The partnership will be part of McDonald’s of Greater Indiana’s #McDonaldsMood campaign, where she highlights her go-to meal of a ten-piece chicken nugget, a medium fry, and a large sprite. For avid McDonald’s fans like myself, this is indeed a timeless order. 

The #McDonaldsMood campaign features influencers of all varieties within the Hoosier State. If there is one thing to know about Indiana, it is that the state treats basketball, and sports in general, as a religion. Accordingly, many student-athletes, including fellow Boilermaker James Rowley from the wrestling team, have been signed to NIL deals for the campaign. 

Other Indiana schools have had athletes selected for the campaign: Indiana University Women’s Basketball’s Lilly Meister and Lexus Bargesser, IU Volleyball’s Camryn Haworth, and Butler Women’s Basketball’s Ari Wiggins. For all these athletes, partnerships with such a prominent global brand are incredibly valuable to add to a partnership portfolio. This engagement will help solidify all involved as athlete influencers and spur further brand interest for more NIL partnerships as their respective 2024-25 seasons unfold. 

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Noah Henderson

NOAH HENDERSON

Professor Noah Henderson teaches in the sport management department at Loyola University Chicago. Outside the classroom, he advises companies, schools, and collectives on Name, Image, and Likeness best practices. His academic research focuses on the intersection of law, economics, and social consequences regarding college athletics, NIL, and sports gambling. Before teaching, Prof. Henderson was part of a team that amended Illinois NIL legislation and managed NIL collectives at the nation’s most prominent athletic institutions while working for industry leader Student Athlete NIL. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Economics from Saint Joseph’s University, where he was a four-year letter winner on the golf team. Prof. Henderson is a native of San Diego, California, and a former golf CIF state champion with Torrey Pines High School. Outside of athletics, he enjoys playing guitar, hanging out with dogs, and eating California burritos. You can follow him on Twitter: @NoahImgLikeness. 

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