New research from assistant professor of practice Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka of Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication highlights the unique challenges and opportunities faced by collegiate women athletes as they work to build their brand identities and increase their value among fans and sponsors.
As co-author of a new chapter in Media, Women, and the Transformation of Sport titled “Putting the Image in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL),” Hawkins-Jedlicka explores how women athletes, particularly those in collegiate basketball, often face the dual burden of maintaining their athletic commitments while also investing significant time and effort into building and maintaining their personal brands online.
The chapter further delves into how collegiate women basketball players strategically leverage their platforms to reshape the narrative around women’s sports. Hawkins-Jedlicka highlights their efforts to make women athletes household names, even as they continue to face resource disparities compared to their male counterparts in football and men’s basketball.
I want brands, collectives, and audiences to recognize women athletes as incredible athletes and understand their viability for sponsorships
“I want brands, collectives, and audiences to recognize women athletes as incredible athletes and understand their viability for sponsorships,” said Hawkins-Jedlicka, whose chapter was co-authored with Andrea Hall, assistant professor of Public Relations at Middle Tennessee State University.
“Women’s collegiate basketball is growing, and the sport is changing the narrative about women’s sports,” adds Hawkins-Jedlicka. “They are trailblazers in many ways, including the NIL space. While they currently receive different resource allocations compared to football and men’s basketball, we can learn valuable lessons from these athletes’ approaches to deals that benefit all athletes.”
Social media’s growing influence in the NIL space is a key focus of Hawkins-Jedlicka’s research. Historically, athletes gained recognition through their performances, but today, platforms like Instagram and TikTok offer a powerful additional tool for promotion. Hawkins-Jedlicka’s research examines how these platforms enable NCAA athletes to earn money and build their audiences by sharing personal narratives alongside their athletic achievements.
“The personal and professional elements are key for building a brand, pursuing sponsorships, and securing brand deals for athletes. We have also seen traditional celebrities and social media influencers combine their professional and personal personas. Building a brand online without media gatekeepers makes social media invaluable for athletes,” said Hawkins-Jedlicka.
Through a detailed content and visual analysis of TikTok and Instagram posts by top women NIL athletes, Hawkins-Jedlicka and Hall examined how these athletes use social media to build brand awareness. Their study covered 1,421 posts across a three-month period during the 2023 preseason, analyzing how women basketball players engaged with fans and created value for sponsors.
In her work, Hawkins-Jedlicka also advocates for collegiate athletic departments to prioritize equitable marketing resources for women athletes. She believes that universities should support their high-value NIL athletes by providing professional-quality content creation, such as photography, video production, and graphic design.
Athletic departments should prioritize equitable marketing resources for women’s sports to recruit and retain talent effectively to mirror how professional sports organizations are also training their players. Women athletes are an asset and not a burden
“Athletic departments should prioritize equitable marketing resources for women’s sports to recruit and retain talent effectively to mirror how professional sports organizations are also training their players. Women athletes are an asset and not a burden,” she said.
As part of Murrow College’s expanding Sports Communication program, Hawkins-Jedlicka brings her expertise into the classroom and encourages students to think critically about how they can help athletes build their brands while gaining practical experience in media relations, digital marketing, and content creation. This hands-on approach is a key component of Murrow’s curriculum, which integrates academic coursework with opportunities to engage with real-world sports media projects.
Hawkins-Jedlicka, a former collegiate athlete in cross country and track and field, brings over a decade of experience as a content producer and strategic communicator, specializing in digital advertising strategy and social media communities. Her work aligns with Murrow College’s growing emphasis on preparing students for careers in sports communication, offering unique opportunities like hands-on projects with the athletic department, media production, and internships that give students practical exposure to the fast-paced world of sports media.
Hawkins-Jedlicka is also the co-producer of the award-winning podcast Starting Line 1928, where she interviews pioneers of women’s distance running, highlighting the ongoing fight for equity in the sport and its media coverage.
She holds an M.A. in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin and earned her undergraduate degree from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee.