NIL powerhouses Azzi Fudd, Livvy Dunne join star-studded sparkling water investment

Through NIL, the trend of athletes as investors is no longer reserved for superstar professionals or global icons. What began with former Heisman Trophy winners - and fellow No. 1 NFL Draft picks and now starting quarterbacks - Bryce Young and Caleb Williams as the rare student-athletes to invest their NIL dollars into brands and business, has now expanded even further.

Defending National Champion basketball star Azzi Fudd of UConn and recently retired LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne - two of the most prolific forces in NIL - have joined a high-profile roster of professional athletes to invest in sparking water brand Spindrift.

The duo invested - through athlete investment and advisory platform Patricof Co - alongside Kevin Durant of the Houston Rockets, DK Metcalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Derrick White of the Boston Celtics, Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever and Maarten Paes of FC Dallas.

The athletes are now part owners in Spindrift through Patricof's partnership with Gryphon Investors, a San Francisco-based private investment firm.

“It’s easy to invest in something you truly enjoy," Fudd said. "I’ve always loved Spindrift, it’s full of flavor, better for you, and fits right into my routine as an athlete, where I’m always looking for high-quality, healthy beverages. I’ve also seen it becoming more and more popular, which makes it even more exciting. When you believe in a brand and actually like what it stands for, you know it’s worth being part of.”

To kick off the partnership, Spindrift launched a video series featuring the athletes in a blind taste test of the brand's flavors.

Fudd - who is fresh off winning Most Outstanding Player during UConn's National Championship run - is now the most marketable athlete in all of college sports, according to Out2Win, the leading AI-powered athlete marketing intelligence platform. After gaining over 100,000 social media followers in the last month, she has the highest Out2Win Score in college athletes.

Fudd will return to UConn for a chance to repeat and continue her NIL dominance ahead of joining the WNBA in 2026.

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