The All-American point guard — the first college athlete partner with Playa Society — will build a NIL roster of fellow female college athletes.
While some college basketball players’ social media feeds are flooded with traditional branded posts in the days leading up to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Notre Dame star Olivia Miles is instead adding a new job title with her latest NIL deal.
The AP All-American point guard, who will miss the Tournament with a knee injury, is joining Playa Society — the lifestyle brand focused on bridging the gap for women’s sports — as their first college athlete partner and with the title of Director of Growth and Innovation.
In addition to designing her own limited edition “See No Limits” statement t-shirt — playing off of her mentality and on-court glasses — Miles will assist the brand in building a roster of fellow female college athletes who share the same vision for elevating women’s sports and who can help further establish Playa Society’s “Player-First” brand mission.
“This is not a one-time, come-and-go NIL deal,” Miles told Boardroom. “I have the opportunity to work with Playa Society beyond my t-shirt launch and that is what I’m most excited about. I love being more involved in the company — helping them build and having a say in their future. This is definitely a unique partnership and absolutely different from my other deals.”
Founded by former college and professional basketball player and coach Esther Wallace, Playa Society is an official partner of the WNBA and WNBPA and specializes in unisex apparel that supports gender equality and social justice. Their famous FEMALE ATHLETE™ t-shirt was front and center the past few years across the WNBA and NWSL as a key statement piece in the gender equality movement in sports.
Miles told Boardroom she’s been a longtime follower of Playa Society, first engaging with the brand via Instagram and then securing this unique NIL partnership and job title through her agent Kailey Edwards of Voltage Management.
“This feels like another full-circle moment for Playa Society, to have Olivia Miles join our team as our first NIL-sponsored athlete during our fifth year in business,” said Wallace, who also serves as CEO and creative director. “We’re all really big fans of Olivia’s game, her on-court energy, confidence, and her overall vibe. But, what’s even better is that we know we have a shared interest in making a big mark on women’s basketball as a whole.”
Perhaps the only college athlete with a job title attached to a NIL deal, Miles is no stranger to “firsts,” as a year ago she became the first freshman in history — man or woman — to record a triple-double in the NCAA Tournament … in her March Madness debut, no less. She added another two this year, already tops in program history.
After an even bigger sophomore campaign where she led Notre Dame (25-5, ACC regular season champions) in rebounds, assists, and steals while ranking second on the team in points, Miles finished as runner-up for ACC Player of the Year and as a finalist for the Dawn Staley Award, celebrating the top guard in the nation.
But as versatile as Miles is on the court, it’s her perspective off of it — and strategic NIL thinking — that separates her from her peers.
“I’m big on building relationships, maintaining and growing those partnerships,” Miles added. “Being a part of a greater cause to push women’s basketball even further is truly special and I cannot wait to get started building with Playa Society.”
In addition to her knee surgery recovery, Miles plans to spend her offseason adding to her resume even more with multiple sports business internships. She’s focused on using her platform to continue to push the business side of women’s sports forward, starting with her Playa Society position and expanding into other spaces.
“As Director of Growth & Innovation, Olivia will use her expertise to help us build a dynamic roster of additional NIL athletes and bridge the gap for collegiate women’s basketball,” Wallace added, “Much like our first project together which flaunts the statement ‘See No Limits,’ we plan to challenge the status quo and share that confidence with like-minded athletes.”
Playa Society will release Miles’ limited edition “See No Limits” statement t-shirt at a pop-up store in Dallas on April 1 during Women’s Final Four weekend.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of women as I’ve always admired their mission and commitment to pushing the game forward,” Miles shared. “Everything they drop is so creative and being able to learn and add to the process is something I can’t wait to get started.”
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