Jameis Winston is teaming up with DoorDash alongside Lane Kiffin and Reggie Bush to help fans cash in on their own NIL-inspired deals.
DoorDash
Former FSU quarterback and baseball athlete Jameis Winston was suspended from the baseball team for five days after he received a civil citation for stealing crab legs from a Tallahassee grocery store in 2014. Former USC quarterback Reggie Bush had his 2005 Heisman Trophy taken from him after an investigation revealed that his family received rent-free housing and cash benefits from potential sports agents.
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that was the world of college sports looked like before athletes were permitted to monetize their name, image, and likeness beginning in 2021.
DoorDash, however, is here to remind us this college football season with its brand new campaign featuring Bush and Winston alongside Lane Kiffin, current head football coach of the LSU Tigers.
“The idea started with NIL and just how dramatically it has changed the culture of college football in recent years,” said Gina Igwe, Vice President of Brand, Creative and Consumer Marketing at DoorDash.
“Reggie, Jameis and Lane were the perfect people to bring that idea to life because each has a distinct personality and very real ties to the pre-NIL era and the rules that defined it. There’s a fun and cheeky irony in having them be the ones telling fans that now it’s finally their turn to get a deal. They immediately understood the joke, leaned into it and brought the kind of self-awareness that made the idea feel authentic rather than forced.”
DoorDash’s season-long campaign “Don’t Fan for Free” will star the three men, poking a little fun at themselves along the way.
Igwe says all three were immediately in on the idea.
“The special thing about the ‘Don’t Fan for Free’ campaign is that they all had a chance to be themselves and have some fun with their own iconic lore. Nobody was asking them to play a character or take themselves too seriously, and the creative naturally felt organic to the game day experience. It was really so special to have that level of football excellence all on one set.”
“We hope fans have fun with it and appreciate the hidden references, nostalgic callbacks, and Easter eggs woven throughout the campaign, particularly the playful nods to Jameis and Reggie’s pre-NIL days,” said Igwe. “There’s definitely an ‘if you know, you know’ piece to the creative that we leaned into and it rewards fans who know the history.”
Fans are due for more than just a good laugh, however. DoorDash Streaks will allow fans a chance to cash in when they order on Saturdays with weekly deals and monthly prizes.
“We recognized they’re the only ones not getting deals these days,” said Igwe.
Prizes range from DoorDash gift cards to a chance to win a brand-new Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat or the grand prize: $757,500 toward a home (an homage to the purchase price of a house Bush’s family lived in rent-free that triggered the NCAA investigation into him).
DoorDash will also be activating at colleges across the country this fall on game day, expanding a tailgate tour it started last year.
DoorDash is partnering with Learfield to work with 11 college programs this season: University of Michigan, The University of Texas at Austin, University of Georgia, The University of Alabama, University of Oregon, University of Missouri, The Ohio State University, University of Florida, University of Southern California, Indiana University, and University of Oklahoma. Playfly Sports also facilitated bringing Louisiana State University into the mix.
Fans will be able to “enter the transfer portal” at DoorDash activations this college football season.
DoorDash
National Tailgate Tour Schedule
- Sept. 5: LSU vs. Clemson
- Sept. 12: Texas vs. Ohio State
- Sept. 26: USC vs. Oregon
- Oct. 10: Alabama vs. Georgia
- Oct. 17: Indiana vs. Ohio State
- Oct. 24: Michigan vs. Indiana
- Nov. 7: Florida vs. Oklahoma
- Nov. 14: Oregon vs. Michigan
- Nov. 28: Ohio State vs. Michigan
At campus activations, fans can step through the DoorDash Transfer Portal to become an official DoorDash recruit. Fans can grab game-day gear, build one-of-a-kind merch and check out surprise hourly drops throughout the day.
DoorDash will also run local sweepstakes at each partner school where fans can win exclusive game-day experiences like tickets, hospitality access, sideline passes, DoorDash gift cards and other VIP perks. College students nationwide can also take advantage of free Student DashPasses until October 12th.
Asked how DoorDash will measure the success of the campaign, Igwe said it’s ultimately about how fans respond, from driving conversation to deepening the brand’s connection to college football and fans.
“We’ll look at engagement and participation in DoorDash Streaks and game day offers, but this is bigger than one spot. From our National Tailgate Tour to fan-favorite restaurant deals and free Student DashPass for all college students through October 12, we’re showing up all season. Ultimately, the goal is to make DoorDash part of the Saturday ritual and make fandom more rewarding.”