College Football Jerseys Carry Corporate Ad Patches for the First Time This Season
College football jerseys are carrying corporate logos for the first time this season, after the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a rule change in January 2026 permitting programs to sell ad space on uniforms, equipment and apparel outside NCAA championships. The rule took effect August 1, allowing teams up to two additional commercial logos on uniforms and apparel and one on equipment during the preseason and regular season, with patches capped at four square inches.
Notre Dame's reported $20 million per year deal with SoFi is the richest patch agreement disclosed so far. Arkansas signed with Tyson Foods, BYU's football team will wear a patch for Utah-based software company Entrata, and UNLV, a Group of Six program, partnered with medical supplier Acesso. The Big 12 has also added a conference-wide Monster Energy patch worn by every member school. The move comes two years after the NCAA allowed sponsor logos on playing fields and follows the July start of revenue sharing between schools and athletes under the House settlement, which has pushed athletic departments to look for new income streams.
Programs including Alabama and Auburn have so far held off on adding patches, and the NCAA has left open the possibility of allowing sponsor logos during its own championship events in the future.
The case for:
The new revenue stream helps schools cover revenue-sharing payments to athletes required under the House settlement, with top deals like Notre Dame's worth $20 million a year.
Sponsor patches are already standard and largely accepted by fans in the NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS.
The case against:
Patches erode uniform traditions that many fans and alumni at programs like Alabama and Auburn view as untouchable.
Smaller schools get far less lucrative deals, like UNLV's medical-supplier patch versus Notre Dame's $20 million SoFi agreement, widening the gap between wealthy and mid-major programs.
Critics say it pushes college sports further from its amateur roots into a purely commercial enterprise.
What's your take?
Should college football programs be allowed to sell ad space on their jerseys? Yes 
No 
Other 
#CollegeFootball #NCAA #NIL #SportsBusiness
Now let's hear from you.
You get one Take and 3 ratings so use them well.
Strong arguments beat loud ones. See Moving The Needle (How to)
Don't forget to rate your own Take.
Please don't feed the trolls.
Photo credit: dave-adamson on unsplash
