An SMU soccer player has signed a $10,000 deal with Sam's Club to monetize her name, image and likeness as part of the store's effort to partner with student-athletes named Sam.
Mustangs' redshirt junior goalkeeper Sam Estrada is one of four student-athletes to partner with Sam's Club to create content.
"It's kind of surreal because you don't really think about -- for example, Sam's Club, they said, 'We're not only representing football players and basketball players. We're reaching out to underrepresented sports, especially female athletes,'" Estrada said. "I think it's kind of inspiring to look and be like, 'Hey, we can actually do this.'"
Estrada, who is from El Paso, said she will create content for Sam's Club on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Twitter as part of the deal.
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She has played in five of SMU's seven matches this season, with four starts in net.
The other three "Sams" signed to deals so far are Central Florida sprinter Samieryah Bradwell, Georgia State wide receiver Sam Pinckney and UCLA gymnast Samantha Sakti.
Sam's Club said it would look to add six more college athletes to its roster and will search for them using TikTok.
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"College athletics is a natural fit for Sam's Club, which offers game day essentials — no matter the sport — including tailgating must-haves for your gameday spread, seasonal collegiate gear, electronics and more," Sam's Club Chief Merchant Megan Crozier said in a written statement. "Supporting these athletes gives us a chance to connect with members in a new way, support students and rally behind many under-represented collegiate sports. It's a win-win."
