H&R Block brings back expanded campaign to raise awareness for NIL gender gap

The NIL world has brought new financial opportunities to student-athletes across college sports, but not all deals are created equal.

In an announcement set to coincide with International Women’s Day, H&R Block is partnering with Fabletics and Jambys to sponsor 50 student-athletes to help raise awareness regarding NIL’s gender gap in a program they call “A Fair Shot.”

The disparity in NIL deals between male and female student-athletes is well-documented. 

Men receive 77% of NIL compensation despite making up just 56% of the total number of NCAA athletes, according to the most recent data published by Opendorse. The compensation number falls to 58% if football is removed from the dataset. 

Interestingly, the data suggests the disparity might be explained by disparities in donor giving, rather than brand opportunities. 

According to Opendorse, donors contribute to 49.5% of the total compensation received by male and female student-athletes together, but just 19.7% of compensation received by female athletes alone. Brands, meanwhile, make up 79% of female student-athlete compensation and are responsible for more than 90% of their NIL deals. 

H&R Block debuted the program last year, which included a commitment of $1 million in “sponsorships and supports” for several female athletes. This year’s program price tag is yet to be announced.

“At H&R Block, we believe in maximum gains for everyone, and while we’ve seen some progress in closing the equity gap in college sports and NIL deals, there is still lots more work to be done,” Jill Cress, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer of H&R Block, said in a statement. “We’re excited for Fabletics and Jambys to join us in leveling the playing field for female college athletes – regardless of sport, division, location, or school size. The more like-minded brands align on doing what’s right, the closer we’ll be to realizing equity and diverse representation in collegiate athletic NIL deals, giving female athletes a fair shot at winning on and off the court, field, and track.”

The student-athletes selected to participate in “A Fair Shot” will contribute to a social media campaign to raise awareness for pay disparity within the NIL space, including an upcoming TikTok challenge. 

In addition to sponsorships, tax support services make up a key component of the program’s offerings. 

As previously reported by The NIL Deal, tax season presents unique — and in some cases, novel — challenges for student-athletes with NIL sponsorships. 

In a survey of more than 1,000 college athletes conducted by Student-Athlete Insights, 53% of respondents said they have never filed any kind of income tax before. Asked if they feel prepared to file taxes on their NIL deals, 60% said they agreed or strongly agreed, suggesting much room for improvement. Nearly half said filing taxes is a stressful experience.

Among other athletes, last year’s program included partnerships with women’s basketball standouts Caitlin Clark and Zia Cooke. 

“I’m proud to team up with H&R Block again for A Fair Shot and welcome new athletes into the mix,” said Cooke, a guard on the National Champion University of South Carolina’s women’s basketball team and returning A Fair Shot alumna. “As we continue to navigate this male-dominated space, it’s really impressive that a brand like H&R Block is so supportive in not only spreading awareness for NIL equity in college sports, but also helping athletes understand the tax implications of the money we’re earning.”

Cooke, along with eight other student-athletes, returns this year as an “A Fair Shot” alumna with a program that has expanded to include 50 athletes across Divisions I, II and II, as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Other program spokespersons include Aniya Hoggatt, track and field star at Florida A&M University; Anessa Campos, who plays soccer for the U.S. Deaf Women’s National Soccer Team and at Cal-State Northridge; and Jordy Bahl, a reigning national champion with the University of Oklahoma’s softball team.