SAN FRANCISCO — Given his name, this deal was a natural fit.
Maryland freshman center Derik Queen, who hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer Sunday to lift the Terrapins into the Sweet 16, has signed an endorsement deal with Dairy Queen.
The agreement, which was announced Thursday ahead of Maryland's game against Florida, features Queen in a variety of videos, promoting the brand and its ever-popular Blizzard.
Queen isn't the first NCAA athlete to capitalize on a name play for an endorsement deal. Michigan tight end Jake Butt parlayed his name into a deal with Charmin toilet paper, and Western Kentucky offensive lineman Forrest Lamp signed an endorsement deal with Lamps Plus.
Queen shot a video Thursday in a San Francisco hotel, promoting a Blizzard featuring the chocolate dipped pecan and caramel treat Turtles, a play on Maryland’s mascot.
As Queen emerged as a star, Maryland fans in the NIL era begged for a Dairy Queen deal, but nothing solidified. That was until Queen hit the off-glass buzzer-beater against Colorado State to extend the Terps' NCAA Tournament run.
Terms of the deal, which was negotiated by Playfly and coordinated through One Maryland Collective were undisclosed, but that’s not the only cashing-in Queen is doing.
His quotes have been popular sellers on T-shirts from Breaking T, which quickly turns around its products after memorable moments.
Dairy Queen, which is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, has more than 4,000 U.S. stores. There are 24 stores in Maryland, according to the company’s website.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.