Ad patches on NCAA uniforms provides a needed revenue source for Syracuse athletics

Several FBS football schools have already announced multi-million per year sponsorship deals with current partners starting with the 2026 football season.

Nov 25, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Detailed view of a Syracuse Orange logo on a jersey prior to the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

As we first chronicled last October, the NCAA Division I Cabinet this week officially approved a proposal which, effective August 1, 2026, clears the way for Div. I athletic programs to place additional commercial logos or patches on uniforms, equipment and apparel for all non-NCAA championship competition.

The rule will be modified for conference championships, and for NCAA (and College Football Playoff) post-season events.

You can bet, however, that both entities will have a corporate sponsor's logo (Allstate Insurance is likely as they were already on the first-round jersey patches the last two seasons) on both the jerseys of the 12 teams in next year's CFP, and the men's and women's team uniforms by the time the 2027 NCAA Tournament (several major current corporate sponsors to choose from including Coca-Cola and Capital One Financial) rolls around.

The new revenue stream will be key for many programs, SU included, looking for multiple revenue-raising sources to pay players in the new era of the House v. NCAA settlement last July allowing schools to disburse approximately $20.5M in annual revenue to its athletes.

A few 'early to the party' schools have announced partnerships starting with 2026 college football

The SEC's LSU made its "mark" (pun intended) by becoming the first NCAA program to announce a sponsorship deal for uniform ad patches with a current sponsor (Woodside Energy) last fall that is expected to generate several million dollars per season to Tiger athletics.

In December, UNLV along with media rights holder Learfield Sports Properties, the same company that holds Syracuse athletic media rights (Syracuse Sports Properties), announced a five-season deal with regenerative medical company Acesso Biologics, also an existing sponsor that will also have its logo on the field for games at Allegiant Stadium.

It makes sense that the first deals with most schools will come with current partners, since due diligence such as trademark clearance, co-branding and renegotiating with current apparel partners (Nike for the 'Cuse), and reviewing existing contracts is much easier with existing sponsors.

An potential first choice for a Syracuse ad patch is JMA Wireless because its logo already adorns the Dome playing surfaces

As part of its naming rights deal with the university which extends to 2032, JMA Wireless receives two logo placements on the football field and basketball court at the Dome. The NCAA approved corporate sponsor advertising on football playing surfaces in 2024 (not to be confused with the logo of the stadium/arena name).

Several schools such as Texas, Penn State, and Alabama have added sponsorship logos on the field, but JMA may likely have on-field/court exclusivity in its building naming rights deal, which potentially could be expanded with the addition of a uniform patch element to the company's sponsorship.

It is also possible there could be separate ad patches for different sports, as it would seem like a no-brainer for Gait Lacrosse to have an ad patch on the men's and women's lax teams with its equipment and apparel used by so many programs in the sport.

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