Jake Paul jumps into NIL deals with gymnast Livvy Dunne for partnership in new Walmart brand



Boxer and influencer Jake Paul has recruited multiple star athletes as partners in his new men's care brand.

Recently, Paul signed LSU gymnastics star Livvy Dunne to a name, image, and likeness deal for his health product brand called W.

Dunne is a social media juggernaut in her own right, with over 13 million followers across platforms. She announced the new partnership on her Instagram page, which represents about 40% of her audience.

The NIL deal, first reported by On3, represents the strong crossover value that college athletes offer brands in different markets, along with international reach online.

Dunne is reportedly the third influencer brought on as a co-owner of the Walmart-exclusive brand, along with recent UFC champion Sean O'Malley and rapper Rubi Rose. All of these influencers have a strong following among young men, whom Paul is targeting with his new brand by strictly selling products for less than $10.

Paul launched W in June and reportedly brought Dunne on after meeting her at a party.

"We immediately hit it off," Dunne told WWD. "Seeing how passionate he was in person really made me want to work with him. I know he grew up as an influencer and has always been in the spotlight, but he's truly proven himself in other areas and shown that you can be successful beyond just being an influencer."

Dunne added that she has garnered success by discovering her core values and aligning her brand deals and business opportunities with those ideals.

"I feel like there are so many things on people's feeds that are not authentic. It's very easy to detect," she continued. "It's a feeling you get when you talk to a brand and can tell your core values align. And that's something I felt with W."

'I think that's important, creating a substantial brand that will last post-college.'

The gymnast and NCAA champion has been trying to make honesty a big part of her brand, often providing remarks that are seldom heard in the sports world.

In September, she explained the importance for female college athletes to make money off their image while in college, due to lack of popularity of professional women's sports leagues.

"It's very important to capitalize on your NIL while you're in college if you're a female, because there's not a lot of professional leagues after college for most women's sports," Dunne confessed.

"I think that's important, creating a substantial brand that will last post-college."

Dunne carries with her a $4 million NIL valuation, which ranks her No. 2 in the country among college athletes.

At the same time, Paul made an estimated $40 million from his recent boxing match against Mike Tyson.

The 27-year-old said he wanted to create a health brand free from artificial dyes, hormone disruptors, and sulfates and sought to bring a product to market that he said would help young men who are deficient in vitamin D and magnesium.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Gymnast Livvy Dunne reveals the truth about female-athlete marketing: 'There's not a lot of professional leagues'



Viral gymnast and NCAA champion Olivia Dunne explained the importance of female athletes expanding their brands and marketing opportunities while they are still in college.

Dunne, who charges a reported $125,000 per social media post to promote a product, has a name, image, and likeness valuation of about $4 million. Her branding power places her as the second-highest NIL-earning athlete in the country, according to website On3.

Dunne's recent sponsorships include monetization platform Passes and a sportswear deal with Nautica. With over 13 million social media followers, she has masterfully monetized her likeness despite being in gymnastics, a sport not typically synonymous with a high income.

Opting to attend Louisiana State University for a fifth year, Dunne revealed in a recent interview why staying enrolled as a collegiate athlete is so important to her brand.

"It's very important to capitalize on your NIL while you're in college if you're a female, because there's not a lot of professional leagues after college for most women's sports," Dunne confessed.

"I think that's important, creating a substantial brand that will last post-college," she told the New York Post.

Dunne posed for Sports Illustrated in 2023 and has since expressed that her relationship with the brand was one she hoped to monetize after college. This acknowledges that the true marketing value of female NCAA athletes is achieved by reaching beyond their sports and breaking through culturally on social media.

Female athletes are seeing the benefit of stretching their NCAA careers as long as possible in order to garner popularity and gather sponsorships, as opposed to turning pro.

This is made apparent by NCAA athletes like the Cavinder twins, who have returned to the University of Miami for a fifth year of basketball. The twin sisters are not trailblazers in their sport nor national champions like Dunne, but they have tapped into the influencer space so successfully that they've secured deals with brands like Under Armour.

The three-year deal, along with their social media presence, will allow the Cavinders to carry their branding power with them after they leave college athletics.

'I feel like social media really can be glamorized, and it can make your life look really glamorous.'

The reality is that college female athletes are exposed to greater fanfare in the NCAA through national TV deals, tournaments, and the sheer energy of college campuses.

For sports like gymnastics and basketball, the typical endgame would be to become an Olympian or go to the WNBA. However, these offer incredibly limited levels of exposure save for exceptional cases like Olympian Simone Biles or WNBA star Caitlin Clark.

"Girls don’t know where to start," Dunne said of college women finding NIL deals. She started a fund, the Livvy Fund, at LSU to help female athletes with exactly that.

Getting started is sometimes "half the battle," the gymnast continued. "So I definitely want to do something [in NIL] overall, after I'm done at LSU. And hopefully expand beyond LSU and help educate people and just help girls out. ... I've always loved sports. So definitely something in the sports realm."

In a recent documentary, Dunne spoke about how social media can shape an athlete's image with her audience.

"I feel like social media really can be glamorized, and it can make your life look really glamorous when it’s not like that at all times. ... [Viewers] want that inside look on how we balance athletics, school, and now NIL."

What this truly means is that female athletes need to fully expand their online presence while choosing a school that offers the most exposure and gives them a chance to grow their audience.

Former NCAA swimmer Kaitlynn Wheeler told Blaze News how apparent this new change has been for college athletes.

"[NIL deals] have changed how students look at prospective programs," Wheeler said. "The way students are picking their schools and how programs are recruiting. ... It's about going to the school that is going to give athletes the best deal."

'There definitely were times where my love for the sport lowered.'

Dunne went on to explain that it has become incredibly difficult for her to balance athletics with her rising fame. However, she seemingly realized that gymnastics is the backbone of her brand, resulting in her return to the NCAA for another year.

"There definitely were times where my love for the sport lowered," she said. "I mean, my sophomore and junior year was quite hard to balance. And with school and athletics, it was just a hard balance and there was nobody I could follow in their footsteps because nobody’s ever done it before. So I kind of just had to carve my own path and find out what works for me."

Dunne said she found the love for her sport again, and that was truly the main reason she decided to return to LSU.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

WILD theory about why LSU ditched national anthem in game against Iowa



In one of the most viewed women’s college basketball games in history, the Iowa Hawkeyes beat the LSU Tigers in a 94-87 victory, which will advance them to the Final Four.

But Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese weren’t the only subjects of conversation.

LSU made a point to leave the court before the national anthem — as is their habit — while the Hawkeyes “stood holding hands.”

“LSU coach, Kim Mulkey, said that it wasn’t intentional” and that “they have a routine of leaving the court at a certain time,” according to reports.

However, LSU’s heartbreaking loss is what Sara Gonzales calls “karma.”

“That loss couldn’t have happened to a more deserving team,” she says.

While Kim Mulkey certainly has her critics, she also is known as “an antichrist to the left,” says Grant Stinchfield. “She dresses like a female; she doesn’t want dating between girls on the team; she is literally hated by [liberals].”

“I actually believe [Mulkey] when she says they went in before [the song],” he says, but regardless, “you should know when the national anthem is, especially in the political climate we live in.”

“I guess, then, my question would just be why is the routine time always coinciding with the national anthem?” asks Sara.

Grant may just have a theory that answers Sara’s question.

“Is this a setup job on her because she’s so despised?” he asks, noting that “there’s something fishy going on between Iowa and LSU.”

“Conspiracy theories in this day and age end up always being true, so that's a fascinating one,” says Sara.


Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred take to news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Louisiana governor responds after LSU's women's basketball team skips national anthem: 'This is a matter of respect'



Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) suggested Tuesday that college athletes who disrespect the national anthem should face consequences.

Ahead of the much-anticipated matchup between LSU and Iowa in the women's NCAA tournament on Monday, LSU caught flak for apparently skipping the national anthem. The Iowa Hawkeyes, however, were on the court during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

— (@)

After the game — a 94-87 Iowa victory — LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey addressed the incident.

"Honestly, I don't even know when the anthem was played," she said.

"We kind of have a routine when they're on the floor and they come off at the 12-minute mark. I don't know, we come in and we do our pre-game stuff," she explained. "I'm sorry, listen, that's nothing intentionally done."

But the damage was done, at least in the eyes of Gov. Landry.

On Tuesday, the Republican governor advocated for university officials to enact a policy that requires student athletes be present for the national anthem — or risk losing their scholarship.

"My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey," Landry said in a statement.

"However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag!" he continued.

"It is time that all college boards, including Regent, put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship!" he said. "This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill."

But is this a matter of student athletes disrespecting the national anthem?

It appears not.

According to a Louisiana sports reporter who covers the LSU women's basketball team, the players are never on the court during the national anthem. Instead, the team leaves the court before pregame festivities after their warm-ups, before reentering the court for team introductions — just as Coach Mulkey said.

A spokesperson for LSU, associate athletic director Cody Worsham, confirmed that LSU's basketball teams are never on the court for the national anthem.

"Our basketball programs have not been on the court for the anthem for the last several seasons. Usually the anthem is played 12 minutes before the game when the team is in the locker room doing final preparations," Worsham said.

Landry's idea, meanwhile, is already receiving pushback from state leaders, according to the Louisiana Illuminator.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'Gained my respect': NBA legend Paul Pierce shocked 'white girl in Iowa' Caitlin Clark beat a 'bunch of black girls' from LSU



NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce expressed his shock that Iowa's Caitlin Clark was able to beat a "bunch of black girls" from Louisiana State University.

Pierce was speaking on FS1's "Undisputed" with NFL legend Keyshawn Johnson and host Skip Bayless when he reacted to Iowa's historic win over LSU during the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

Clark is now viewed as one of the best female basketball players of all time and has recorded the most points in NCAA women's basketball history. The player has had a rivalry with LSU's Angel Reese leading up to their game in the Elite Eight, the quarterfinals of the tournament.

After Iowa won 94-87, Pierce was in awe that Clark, a white woman, was able to beat black women.

"We saw a white girl in Iowa do it to a bunch of Black girls…that gained my respect," he told his cohosts. "That gained my respect! That’s like, oh she didn’t do this to some other little white girls that were over in Colorado or wherever. She did it to some girls from LSU who we thought were some dogs!"

Pierce added that Iowa took LSU and "put 'em on their knee and spanked them. I didn’t expect that."

"We saw a white girl in Iowa do it to a bunch of Black girls. That gained my respect...I didn't expect that." - Paul Pierce
— (@)

The LSU team garnered attention for all the wrong reasons following their disappointing loss.

Fans quickly realized that LSU wasn't present during the national anthem after video circulated showing only the Iowa players present on the court, holding hands.

Iowa players holding hands during the American National Anthem. LSU players left the court before the anthem was performed.
— (@)

LSU coach Kim Mulkey explained that the move wasn't intentional and claimed she didn't know when the Star-Spangled Banner would be performed.

"Honestly, I don't even know when the anthem was played," Mulkey said in the post-game press conference. "We kind of have a routine when they’re on the floor and they come off at the 12-minute mark. I don't know, we come in and we do our pregame stuff. I'm sorry, listen, that’s nothing intentionally done."

Kim Mulkey said her team didn't intentionally leave the floor prior to the playing of the United States National Anthem. \n\n"Honestly, I don't even know when the anthem was played. We kind of have a routine [for leaving the court at a certain time]."
— (@)

LSU star Reese had her own controversial segment during the press conference and detailed how she has felt abused online and hasn't been able to stand up for herself.

"I don't really get to stand up for myself. I have great teammates, I have a great support system, I have my hometown, I have my family that stands up for me," she began.

"I don't really get to speak out on things because I just try to ignore. I just try to stand strong. I've been through so much, I've seen so much, I've been attacked so many times. Death threats, I've been sexualized, I've been threatened...I'm still a human. All this has happened since I won the national championship, and I said the other day, I haven't been happy since then," she added.

Interestingly enough, minutes earlier, teammate Hailey Van Lith said that media and online criticisms do not affect Reese's psyche.

"Y'all do not get to her. Let me say it again. Y'all do not get to Angel Reese. You might want to throw the towel in because you're wasting your energy. Angel is one of the toughest people I've been around," Van Lith declared.

— (@)

While it is obvious that threats of physical violence are unwarranted, Reese's claims of being sexualized are indeed strange given that she posed for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in 2023.

It is equally strange given that after LSU's win in the previous round of the NCAA tournament, Reese spoke about how much she enjoyed modeling.

"Me being able to be on the court but also off the court, I like to model and do other things. I can do both," she said, according to Outkick.

Reese still noted that she is "unapologetically" herself, with no plans to change.

"I wouldn't change anything, and I would still sit here and say I'm unapologetically me," she said. "I'm going to always leave that mark and be who I am and stand on that."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'Put your f***ing a** in the ground': LSU lecturer under investigation over threatening message to Louisiana lawmaker who supported ban on child sex-change mutilations



A lecturer at Louisiana State University has been barred from teaching and is now under investigation by Louisiana State Police after allegedly sending a threatening, profanity-laced message to Republican state Sen. Michael Fesi.

Fesi was among the state senators who voted to override Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' veto of SB 648, thereby ensuring the bill banning child sex-change mutilations would be made law.

The prospect — made a reality with Fesi's help — that children could no longer receive destructive puberty blockers or go under the the knife for irreversible, sterilizing procedures didn't just upset Democrats. It appears to have similarly enraged LSU grad student and lecturer Marcus Venable.

The voicemail message allegedly left by Venable calls Fesi a "f***ing moron" and a "fat f***ing piece of sh**."

"I just want to say congratulations to our state Sen. 'Big Mike' Fesi," says the message. "And that f***ing moron voted to make things worse for people who are already suffering. ... You did not produce any g**damn evidence to support the claims you made about people being harmed by transgender care. Yet we've had tons of empirical evidence telling us there's an increased suicide risk for people who don't get this care."

WAFB-TV indicated that that the allusion to "evidence" about persons harmed by so-called "transgender care" is likely in reference to Fesi's remarks Tuesday at the state Capitol, where he said, "You know who the real experts are, it’s the ones that had this procedure done and are now in their mid-twenties, and late twenties, and trying to say that they hate their parents for letting this happen to them."

"So you, you big fat-headed mother f***er, I can't wait to read your name in the f***ing obituary," continues the voicemail message. "I will make a g**damn martini made from the tears of butthurt conservatives when we put your f***ing a** in the ground, you fat f***ing useless piece of sh**."

While Venable allegedly concluded the message by wishing Fesi a "terrible day," the occasional LSU lecturer appears to have reaped the whirlwind.

Upon receiving the threatening message, Fesi informed the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office, which then turned it over to the LSP, reported WAFB.

"I just want them to do their investigation, and them do what they think’s right. I don’t want to see no harm come to anybody," said Fesi.

Louisiana State Police confirmed to the Advocate that an investigation into Venable was under way.

LSU, which acknowledged that the leftist has taught classes at the school, indicated he will no longer be permitted to do so.

LSU spokeswoman Abbi Rocha Laymoun told the College Fix in a statement Thursday, "As a university, we foster open and respectful dialogue. Like everyone, graduate students with teaching assignments have the right to express their opinions, but this profanity-filled, threatening call crossed the line."

Laymoun added, "This does not exhibit the character we expect of someone given the privilege of teaching as part of their graduate assistantship. The student will be allowed to continue their studies but will not be extended the opportunity to teach in the future."

Venable reportedly did not respond to the College Fix's request for comment.

Legal analyst Franz Borghardt suggested to WAFB that the university was within its rights to prohibit Venable from teaching.

"First and foremost, your constitutional rights to free speech are not absolute, if your words or your expression are threatening, if they are harmful, they are not necessarily absolutely protected," said Borghardt. "So, can LSU respond to a faculty member, albeit an LSU grad student making a profane, potentially threatening voicemail to a member of the legislature, yes I think they can. Because candidly at the end of the day, the call borderlines on a criminal act, whether it be assault, whether it be terrorizing."

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) responded to the voicemail on Twitter, writing, "My, my, my... I'll be your huckle bearer Mr. LSU Professor."

Sex-change survivor Chloe Cole highlighted how Venable's stated research interests were "criminology, sexual assault, sex-offender recidivism, sex-offender registries."

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee tweeted, "Let's see if @LSU decides this deranged, hateful, & violent bigot ought to get a paycheck from taxpayers or should be invited to take a job cleaning toilets on campus since he gets most of his disgusting words from one."

Hear the voicemail message here:

— (@)

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

LSU's Olivia Dunne assigned bodyguard after horde of rowdy boys mobs another gymnastics meet



Louisiana State University is stepping up its security to ensure that its star gymnast, Olivia Dunne, will escape future competitions unscathed.

What's the background?

Olivia Dunne has attracted a great deal of attention on and off the bars.

Dunne, a WCGA All-American in the uneven bars, boasts over 6.7 million followers on TikTok and nearly 3 million followers on Instagram.

Since the NCAA dropped its policy prohibiting college athletes from profiting off their internet fame in 2021, the 20-year-old college junior has become America's top-paid female college athlete.

On3 reported that the 20-year-old has signed deals with various big brands including American Eagle, Plant Fuel, and Bartleby, bringing in over $2 million. Dunne frequently showcases her sponsors' products in the videos she posts to social media.

Dunne told the New York Times in November that she is proud of her resultant seven-figure earnings, "Especially since I'm a woman in college sports."

While her notoriety has proven lucrative, it can be discomfiting at times.

Nola.com reported that when Dunne's gymnastics team competed against the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Jan. 6, fans packed the stands and stalked the exits of the building in hopes of snagging a selfie with the gymnast, some chanting, "We want her."

Dunne was not even competing last week, having been sidelined with an injury.

Olympic medalist and broadcaster Samantha Peszek posted a video of some of Dunne's predominantly male fans with the caption, "This is actually so scary and disturbing and cringey. I'm embarrassed for them."

\u201cThis is actually so scary and disturbing and cringey. I\u2019m embarrassed for them\u2026\u201d
— Samantha Peszek (@Samantha Peszek) 1673149010

KSL.com sports reporter Josh Furlong indicated that LSU was forced to move its team bus to avoid Dunne's fans and that police had to be stationed to prevent the boys from getting in.

Furlong tweeted, "There’s literally a line outside of the Huntsman Center of teenage boys that keep asking if Livvy is coming out. I’ve never seen anything like this."

\u201cThere\u2019s literally a line outside of the Huntsman Center of teenage boys that keep asking if Livvy is coming out. I\u2019ve never seen anything like this.\u201d
— Josh Furlong (@Josh Furlong) 1673064403

The mother of a Utah gymnast suggested that the fans, keen on seeing and meeting Dunne, were "rude and disrespectful" to other athletes.

The New York Post reported that the rowdy mob disrupted other athletes' routines.

Dunne's mother underscored that it was inappropriate to blame the fans' behavior on the gymnast:

\u201cIt is not ok to blame any athlete/celebrity when fan behavior crosses the line. In a sport where all the girls wear nothing but leotards stop suggesting that how Livvy dresses means she deserves this in any way. Stop shaming girls for the behavior of boys.\u201d
— Katherine Dunne (@Katherine Dunne) 1673193135

Over the weekend, Dunne responded, tweeting, "I will always appreciate and love the support from you guys, but if you come to a meet, I want to ask you to please be respectful of the other gymnasts and the gymnastics community as we are just doing our job."

Safe landing

Jay Clark, Dunne's coach, indicated he has previously "run people off," and there has been at least one instance where LSU police had to intervene.

Moving forward, a security officer will stand guard outside the LSU team's locker room and hotels when they travel to competitions across the country for the remainder of the year.

Clark told the Advocate/Times-Picayune, "That person will be in our hotel and outside our locker room and getting us to and from the bus at the venue. ... (The officer) will be there to create a perimeter that keeps everybody safe."

"We want to be accessible to our fans with autographs and kids, but we also don't want to bury our heads in the sand. We want to make sure everybody is safe at all times," said Clark.

Dunne's coach suggested that things have to change; that student athletes cannot be left exposed to the mob, especially as this trend accelerates.

Extra to the security guard, moving forward, LSU athletes will not be permitted to go into the stands immediately following a meet.

\u201c"It was a little bit disconcerting, the level of intensity that went with it. There was a moblike kind of feel to that out there."\n\n@LSUgym Jay Clark shares his thoughts on some of rabid @livvydunne fans that attended the Tigers' meet in Utah. #LSU\u201d
— Jacques Doucet (@Jacques Doucet) 1673466685

Concerning the incident in Utah, Dunne admitted that "things got out of control."

"We wanted to get ahead of it, but we didn't see what happened last week coming as big as it's been. It's been bubbling under the surface for a year now," he added.

"Probably 99 percent of the people there were seeking autographs, but you never know when you get a crowd like that. We'll do the best we can to protect them," said the coach. "It's at the forefront of my mind as a father and coach of these young women. We take very seriously the responsibility to keep them safe."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'We are crushed for him': LSU star tears ACL while celebrating teammate's big play



While overly disruptive celebration can often lead to a penalty flag during a college football game, the excessive celebration displayed by one Louisiana State star cost him more than just fifteen yards.

On the opening defensive series of his team's loss to the Florida State Seminoles on Sunday evening, LSU sophomore defensive tackle Maason Smith jumped up to celebrate a stop made by defensive back Major Burns. Unfortunately, Smith then landed the jump awkwardly on his left leg.

\u201cLSU DT Maason Smith appeared to have suffered an injury after celebrating this play.\u201d
— ESPN (@ESPN) 1662337009

Smith, who was named a Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC in 2021, was immediately taken out of the game. Further testing confirmed that he tore his left ACL in the fall and is now out for the remainder of the season.

"Obviously, we're crushed for him because he was celebrating for a teammate on the play and trying to show his support," LSU head coach Brian Kelly said after the game. "So anytime you suffer an injury under those circumstances, it's extremely disappointing. He's a great player... but it's next man up now for us."

In this case, the next man up will be Mekhi Wingo, a sophomore transfer from the University of Missouri. Wingo, who was also named Freshman All-SEC last year, replaced Smith during the game on Monday and recovered a key fumble late in the fourth quarter that seemed to put LSU, then trailing 24-17, in position to take the lead or send the game into overtime. Though the Tigers did ultimately score a touchdown on the last second in regulation, the team missed the point after try and lost a heartbreaker, 24-23.

"Mekhi is amazing," Kelly continued. "He's been a great leader. He won this week's SWAT points again, and he played very well in the game."

"It's hard to compare anybody to Maason Smith, his size, his athleticism," Kelly added, "but Mekhi Wingo is going to be Mekhi Wingo and what he does is extremely effective as a football player who gets now a bigger share of that work. It'll be incumbent upon others to step up as well."

Sunday night was Kelly's debut as the head football coach of LSU. For the previous decade, Kelly had been the head coach of Notre Dame, and he led the Fighting Irish to two College Football Playoff appearances and one BCS National Championship Game.

LSU went undefeated and won a national championship in 2019 under former head coach Ed Orgeron, but then had two disappointing seasons. The Tigers finished 6-7 last year, and Orgeron was let go midway through the season, though he continued to coach the team. Kelly was announced to be his replacement on November 30.