Hershey’s deal with Angel Reese is 633 days late despite zero value of $1.8 million – here’s why

Angel Reese is a brand like no other. She has grown exponentially after winning the 2022–23 NCAA Championship title. Even when she emerged in the WNBA, Reese made life difficult for veterans by signing one brand deal after another. But one of the most anticipated deals is the collaboration between Reese and Hershey’s Reese’s Pieces. According to TMZ, the two are excited to sign an important partnership that could earn a place in fans’ hearts. But still, the deal seems to come a little late, especially since Reese could have signed it in college for one important reason.

Reese is a talented athlete with a NIL value of $1.8 million. Her deal with Hershey’s wouldn’t have changed her NIL much, but it would have been a good starting point for Reese and the brand, especially since the name similarity would have benefited them both at that point. But Hershey’s was close to the Reese name, even though it wasn’t Angel’s.

The Hershey’s Reese Chapter

It all started in October 2022 when Hershey decided to market itself by offering a NIL deal to all college athletes with the Reese name. The method of promoting the brand was unique because any athlete with the same name automatically wore the brand to their fans when they played. Their names on their jerseys reflected the same. However, Hershey went a step further.

The $37.34 billion company decided to gift gear, football trophies and balls to 12 college football athletes bearing the Reese name. There were various items including a custom blazer, a chain, football trophy links and a locker fridge. All of this made the brand famous not only among the athletes and their spectators, but also throughout the sport.

Names associated with Hershey’s Reese included Andrew, Brody, Cameron, Courtney, David, James, John, Max, Michael, Otis, Quinton and Richard. But one big name that wasn’t part of the deal was ball sports sensation Angel Reese, and so her new deal with Hershey’s Reese seems to come 633 days late as of October 10, 2022. And how Reese would have affected the brand, we can only imagine.

Angel Reese’s calculated influence on Hershey’s

Imagine if Angel got a piece of the pie and put her name on the deal. She had extraordinary deals with some of the biggest brands in the country, including Reebok, Raising Canes, Beats and Goldman Sachs. Her NIL was $1.8 million. Reese’s star status can be seen in the fact that Reebok signed her as part of their plans for promotion. Since then, the 22-year-old has worn the company’s shoes at key turning points in her career, bringing the sportswear brand back into the mainstream. Many similar results have been achieved for Goldman Sachs.

According to Trading View, Goldman Sachs’ stock price has risen exponentially by 45.13% since last year. A major reason for this unprecedented rise has been the signing of major athletes who give the brand a voice and also represent it at a major level. However, with Hershey, the story has been quite different. According to the same website, Hershey’s stock price has fallen by 26.13%. Imagine what Reese would have done if she had been part of the deal when she was at the peak of her college basketball career.

However, even today, it is not too late and hopefully Reese will sign a deal with Hershey. Fans would be excited to see Reese’s pieces. She also had a custom shoe as part of the collaboration and hopefully, similar to how Hershey’s FMCG products sell, Reese too will quickly have a clean cut of her shoes when they hit the market. Until then, Reese and the brand can only hope to up their game.

Stay tuned for more updates like this and watch this video to hear what Shaq’s former agent Leonard Armato has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic rejection and more.