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SEC powerhouse inks multi-million dollar deal

Joe Cox|
An SEC power inked a new sponsorship jersey-patch deal while pending NCAA ruling will likely allow uniforms to feature such commercial patches.
An SEC power inked a new sponsorship jersey-patch deal while pending NCAA ruling will likely allow uniforms to feature such commercial patches. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The SEC remains one of the leaders in collegiate athletics largely because its powers are ready to embrace a new trend. That is certainly the story with a breaking report of a massive sponsorship deal for jersey patches. The plan is working ahead of expected legislation to allow such corporate patches on jerseys in 2026. The school involved is LSU.

LSU's big deal

Reports are now circulating that LSU deputy athletic director Clay Harris confirmed the deal with a sponsorship patch that will "be on all of our uniforms, every sport." While Harris did not name the sponsor or specify the terms of the deal, he did comment that the LSU deal may "rival some of the top pro sports teams" in terms of monies collected.

The path to jersey patch deals

Again, this development comes a month after reports that the NCAA is considering a chance to its jersey patch rules. Currently, only the apparel maker is allowed to play its logo on athletes' uniforms. But under the new proposal, schools would be allowed to add a pair of commercial logos onto their uniforms and apparel. The final vote on the rule change is expected in January, so the Tigers would likely bring about the jersey patches changes in short order.

LSU remains one of the athletic powerhouses of collegiate sports in general. In the most recent standings for the Learfield Cup, an award based on excellent on all sports, LSU ranked 17th nationally. The football Tigers are 4-1 at the moment and ranked 11th in the current AP poll. While QB Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU offense has struggled, the Tigers remain potentially viable as a team in the College Football Playoff. ESPN's most recent FPI statistics give LSU a 30.2% chance at a CFP berth. Off the field, LSU is clearly staying at the forefront of seeking new revenue sources, as the pre-approval jersey patch deal demonstrates.

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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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