The NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a proposal on Friday to allow Division I athletic programs to add commercial logos or patches to uniforms, with hopes that the logos could further boost potential revenue for schools and their programs.
According to ESPN, the rule is set to go into effect on August 1, with teams allowed to place up to two patches that are no larger than four square inches in size; those logos are in addition to those that are already permitted for the maker of the uniforms.
These new additions will be permitted for any non-NCAA championship competition, which includes the regular season. According to the NCAA, the restrictions on the specific placement of logos will be determined by rules subcommittees, oversight committees, and sport committees.
This move comes as the latest effort for schools and universities to support the $20.5 million in revenue that institutions are allowed to share with players, a rule that went into effect earlier this school year.
“College sports are in an exciting new era of increased financial benefits for student-athletes, and the Cabinet’s vote today reflects the ongoing commitment of Division I members to drive additional revenues and fully fund those benefits,” said Josh Whitman, the Athletics Director at the University of Illinois and chair of the Cabinet in a release from the NCAA.
Professional teams have already explored this venture, with National Basketball Association (NBA) teams beginning with corporate sponsor logos for the 2017-18 season, and have remained a regular fixture ever since.
According to a report from CNBC, NBA team jersey patch deals have doubled year over year since their introduction and contributed more than $80 million in new spending this year.
Sponsors on jerseys have also been around in the professional soccer world since as early as the 1950’s, and have since undergone worldwide adoption in the late 1970s and into the 1980s.
According to ESPN, the NBA, National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Baseball (MLB) all have approved advertising on their jerseys within the last nine years; the National Football League (NFL) is the only major American league who has not approved of jersey advertising yet.
In a report from USA Today, the cabinet also supported the NCAA to explore potential policies that would allow teams to wear commercial patches during NCAA Championships.
Excellent. The monetization of everything continues apace. Be sure to check the Kalshi odds on whether the University of Nebraska-Omaha will partner with NordVPN or AG1.
After all, if the schools are going to get more money from this… shouldn’t you?
I’m ready to see SwimSwam on the UVA tech suits.
Will they allow it on the tech suits?
This will increase revenue on those brands by about treefiddy
Women should be allowed to use 5
through the chasm & into the Ricky Bobby era for NCAA sports
Abe Froman better sponsor the North Western’s men team.
you win
Better change something drastically to entice viewers for these patches. The only people watching short course dual meets are the parents.