For years, the virtual world has mixed with reality. So, it comes as no surprise Fanatics is getting into the game.
The company announced Tuesday it was giving 5-foot-7 University of Texas quarterback Sari Fercussin an NIL deal.
Never heard of him?
Well, that's because Fercussin is the brainchild of gaming streamer Sketch.
As part of the deal, Sketch showed Fanatics sent him a package with a letter offering him a deal that came with a Fercussin No. 10 jersey and a 1/1 BowmanU card.
The promotion, which runs until next Tuesday, allows anyone to make their own player in Road to Glory mode in EA College Football '25 and send a highlight to Fanatics on YouTube, TikTok, X or Instagram with the hashtag #SignedByFanatics for a chance to win $1,000 in Fanatics Fan Cash, a jersey of their player and a BowmanU card.
"Our social team is really focused on connecting the fan and fan culture with what people are talking about in everyday life," Fanatics' creative director of social Harry Barron said. "Nothing has been more talked about more than year than the return of EA's college football game. We thought the game action was so good that it had our brains swirling as to what was fake and what was real."
Five fans, selected at random, will win NIL deals for their players, which Barron said will also include billboards in their virtual college town in the game.
"We're treating this person as if they were a real world athlete that we sponsor — like Jayson Tatum, Wemby or Tom Brady," Barron said.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.