Indiana Cheerleader Lands NIL Deal Following Viral Moment

Less than a week after she captured the hearts of beer-filled bracket enthusiasts across the country, Indiana cheerleader Cassidy Cerny is cashing in. Cerny, who went viral for dislodging a ball stuck between the backboard and shot clock during Thursday’s opening round of the NCAA Tournament, has scored a name, image, likeness deal with an apparel company.

Cassidy now stands to profit from her memorable March Madness moment, thanks to a t-shirt created and sold by BreakingT, a Washington, D.C.-based clothing company that describes itself as the "worldwide leader in real-time sports apparel.”

On Monday, BreakingT debuted the shirt, which features a nearly identical image of the cheerleader snatching a basketball from atop a backboard and the phrase “THE CHEERLEADER SAVES THE DAY” scrolled across the front.

You can be the proud owner of a “Cassidy Cerny: The Cheerleader Saves The Day” set of threads for less than half the cost of an opening round nose bleed seat -- $30 for an adult tee, $26 for a youth tee and $55 for a hoodie.

Details have not been provided as to how much Cerny will profit from the apparel, though the site does specifically note that the shirts are officially licensed by Indiana’s most recognizable cheerleader.

During a Friday appearance on The Today Show, Cerny summarized her whirlwind 15 minutes of fame: “(It’s) very overwhelming. It’s been very cool and very interesting to see how many people have seen the video and are reaching out. It’s just been really cool."

Indiana fans should jump at the opportunity to snag a Cassidy tee – those shirts will undoubtedly last longer than the Hoosiers’ run through March.

 

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