Caymanian Olympian Davontè Howell has officially entered a Name, Image, and Likeness partnership with Cayman Islands Roofing Ltd., marking a significant development for local athletes seeking professional-level corporate support.
The 19-year-old sprinter signed the agreement alongside Michael Malicote, the director of Cayman Islands Roofing, during an intimate ceremony held at the George Town Yacht Club on the evening of 20 March in front of family and friends.
Where it all started
The partnership originated from a connection between the athlete’s current base at the University of Tennessee and Michael Malicote’s ties to the same state.
“Because I’m from LaFollette, Tennessee – about 30 minutes north of the University of Tennessee – I started seeing and hearing about Davontè. Finding out that he was from the Cayman Islands, and the interest that I have there, I thought, “You know what? I’m going to try to get in touch with that young man and see if we can sit down, talk and potentially put a NIL agreement together,” said Malicote.
Fast forward, and Malicote made the connection and met up with Howell on the campus of the University of Tennessee.
“We had lunch, we talked about it, and Davontè was on board with it. Because of what interest I have in Cayman – I’ve been coming here for 20 plus years and have a business here – that was why I put it all together to help support him,” Malicote explained.
Dave Howell, Davontè’s father, said the discussions began earlier this year “shortly after Davontè got the world lead for the 60-metre”.
“We hope that this partnership can continue to get him to the 2028 Olympics and beyond. We’re excited that this local company has been the first that has reached out and we hope that other companies will possibly see the gesture because it’s something foreign to Cayman. We hope that other companies can see the benefit of investing in our athletes and getting them to the next level,” Dave said.
Providing some insight into the deal, Dave added, “It is a financial package where Cayman Islands Roofing provides some financial assistance to Davontè that can assist him in getting any massages, supplements, – anything like that – that he needs in order to progress and get him to the next level and what he does in exchange is that he will be the face of their company for the period of time.”
Dave said the deal will remain in effect through the end of Davontè’s collegiate eligibility in 2027.
Value of partnership
For Howell, this NIL partnership means a lot, he said, “Hopefully being the first, it inspires a lot of other companies to invest in not only me, but athletes as a whole in the Cayman Islands.”
“I believe that funding is what we’re missing a lot here because to take the next step into the professional level is very expensive. I believe that a lot of Caymanian athletes have the talent and they have the ambition as well, and they do work very hard, but the recovery that’s needed, the nutrition that’s needed is all very expensive. So, without the proper funding, they can’t do what they need to do,” he added.
Looking ahead, Howell said he’s most excited about the recovery and nutritional aspect of the NIL deal.
“I believe those are two areas where I’m falling down in that other professionals are exceeding where I’m at. I believe I’m very hard working, and my body hurts when you put in a lot of hard work, so I need the funding to be able to recover my body and take things to the next level,” he said.
Howell added that the partnership serves as a vote of confidence that can boost an athlete’s morale while providing the necessary resources to maintain a body under the physical strain of intense training.
He expressed hopes that other Cayman companies will be encouraged to view sports sponsorship as a viable and mutually beneficial investment and continue this momentum of NIL deals with Cayman athletes.
Emphasising the mutual rewards of the deal, Howell said, “I believe that other brands should look forward and say that when you put that vote of faith into an athlete, it not only inspires the athlete, but it encourages the athlete to want to support the brand even more.”
This new locally based NIL deal comes shortly after Davontè signed with Adidas – a world-renowned German sports brand – last month.
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