Observed Signal · Apr 16, 2026 · Partnership · Source: Digiday · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
College Athlete Carson Roney Moves From TikTok to Gatorade Ads
Carson Roney, a college basketball and volleyball athlete, grew from posting TikTok dances in 2020 to building a multi-platform creator business with about 5 million TikTok followers and nearly 700,000 Instagram followers. Managed by Erin Convey of Wasserman for four years, Roney diversified beyond sports-dance content into beauty, lifestyle and fashion, landing long-term partnerships with brands including Gatorade and the NBA and appearing in a Gatorade TV commercial. Her team reports a more than 275% increase in earnings from 2024 to 2025 and engagement rates above 10%. Roney has worked with additional brands (Abercrombie, Coach, Celsius, Pro Lash) and commanded fees as high as $45,000 for a single TikTok. Her management emphasizes platform diversification (Instagram Reels) as TikTok business dynamics shift.
Case study illustrating creator monetization, brand partnerships and platform diversification; relevant to influencer marketing and brand strategies but not industry-shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Carson Roney has about 5 million TikTok followers and nearly 700,000 Instagram followers.
- Roney is managed by Erin Convey of Wasserman and has worked with Convey for four years.
- Roney has long-term partnerships with Gatorade and the NBA and appeared in a Gatorade TV commercial.
- Roney’s team says her earnings grew by more than 275% from 2024 to 2025 and her social engagement rate exceeds 10%.
- Roney received $45,000 for a single TikTok in 2025 and has worked with brands including Abercrombie, Coach, Celsius and Pro Lash.
Connected Companies & Entities
6 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Women athletes embrace creator playbook for income and growth
Women athletes are increasingly adopting creator strategies to supplement income and build their personal brands, driven by the growth of women's sports yet persistent pay gaps. Companies like Togethxr, co-founded by athletes, offer programs such as the Snap the Gap cohort with Snapchat, providing production resources and mentorship. Participants, including soccer player Michelle Alozie and gymnast Kyrstina Johnson, saw significant follower growth on Snapchat. This creator approach not only supports athletes during their careers but also prepares them for life after sports. The trend is supported by rising viewership and revenue in women's sports, with leagues like the PWHL and NWSL reporting increased YouTube engagement. Athletes also leverage social media to secure non-sport brand partnerships, as exemplified by Sarah Nurse's beauty content.
TikTok Creator Griffin Johnson Becomes VC
Griffin Johnson, a 26-year-old creator who built a large TikTok (9.5M) and Instagram (3M) following, co-founded the venture firm Animal Capital in 2021 with fellow creators and outside investors. Johnson traces his path from creating content and co-founding the Sway House (Jan 2020–Feb 2021) to monetizing creator influence through brand deals (Warner Music, Sony, Reebok) and strategic investments. Animal Capital has invested in social-first brands such as Poppi (acquired by PepsiCo in May 2025 for nearly $2 billion) and supported fundraising for Colossal Biosciences (raising reportedly over $100M). The firm lists collaborations with celebrity partners and placements for artists and brands, and Johnson now blends content creation with investment activity, including social-driven promotion of horse racing and sponsored relationships like a long-term Celsius partnership.
Brands Boost Athlete Pay; Celebrity Ad Spend Tops $1B
Brand spending on celebrity ad talent exceeded $1 billion in 2025, marking a substantial rise in budgets concentrated on recognizable talent, according to a report from advertising platform XR and coverage cited by Adweek. The trend is strongest among athletes: guaranteed pay for NBA stars has increased ~200% since 2019 and NFL player payments rose ~145%. Endorsements for sports figures grew about 106% to nearly $250 million, while investments in women’s sports have expanded dramatically (a >300x increase since 2019) with payments to women’s basketball players up 176% year-over-year. Advertisers are making fewer shoots than in 2019 but placing larger bets per project, and production is decentralizing from California toward states like Texas, Florida and Virginia (collective volume rise of nearly 30%). XR’s CEO John Batter describes the shift as a “talent-first era.”
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