Get ready for sponsors to have patches on college teams’ jerseys.
After months of discussion, the NCAA announced Friday that Division I schools are allowed to sell ad space on uniforms, equipment and apparel starting Aug. 1 after the idea was approved by the NCAA’s Division I cabinet.
“College sports are in an exciting new era of increased financial benefits for student-athletes, and the cabinet’s vote [Friday] reflects the ongoing commitment of Division I members to drive additional revenues and fully fund those benefits,” Illinois athletic director and DI cabinet chair Josh Whitman said in a statement. “This also continues the NCAA’s efforts to expand flexibility in areas of NCAA rules, thereby allowing schools and conferences to set standards that reflect their values and serve their unique needs. This important policy change is another step forward in advancing that philosophy and providing members with increased flexibility.”
Schools will not be able to have sponsored apparel or equipment in NCAA championships, such as the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments. The NCAA does not govern the College Football Playoff.
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Teams will be “permitted up to two additional commercial logos on their uniforms and apparel and one additional commercial logo on equipment during the preseason and regular season” and can have an additional logo for conference championships. All patches must be no larger than four square inches, and the placement of sponsor logos will be legislated by rules subcommittees for each sport.
The NCAA also left open the possibility that “NCAA corporate marketing” partners could obtain jersey space during NCAA championships.
The long-expected addition of jersey patches comes less than two years after the NCAA allowed sponsors to buy ad space on football fields. In July, NCAA schools began revenue sharing with athletes as part of the House settlement. Power four schools are distributing roughly $20 million to their athletes this school year.
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