By Jyesha Nance
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is currently exploring the idea of allowing jersey sponsorship and on-field corporate logos. Traditionally, college sports jerseys have featured the team's name, player number, and sometimes the player's name. However, there has been a growing trend in professional sports to include corporate logos on jerseys to generate additional revenue.
The NCAA is considering this move mainly to address financial challenges faced by collegiate athletic programs. With rising costs, many schools are looking for new revenue streams to support their athletic departments. Allowing corporate logos on jerseys and on-field advertising is viewed as a potential solution to generate additional funds.
Critics of this proposal argue that it could compromise the amateur nature of college sports and lead to a commercialization of the game. College sports have traditionally been seen as a platform for student-athletes to compete at a high level while pursuing their education. They worry that introducing corporate logos could blur the line between amateur and professional sports and prioritize profit over the integrity of the game.
Proponents of the idea believe that allowing jersey sponsorship and on-field corporate logos could provide much-needed financial stability for college athletic programs. They argue that the revenue generated from these sponsorships could help support scholarships, facility upgrades, and other resources for student-athletes.
A week following the $2.7 billion settlement agreement for revenue sharing among athletes, a proposal emerged to expedite payments to players by tapping into revenue from corporate sponsors. This initiative aims to address the delay in athletes receiving their share of the settlement funds, potentially resolving the issue before the scheduled payout in 2025.
On June 6, the NCAA Playing Rules Panel authorized schools to showcase corporate logos on football fields for all three collegiate divisions beginning with the 2024 season. Logos and ads will be allowed in three spots - a single ad on the 50-yard line and two more smaller logos placed elsewhere on the field.
Schools could potentially receive anywhere from hundreds of thousands to up to $3 million each year from this change. The amount will vary based on how well schools perform in terms of generating revenue, especially SEC and B1G. The final decision on whether logos will be allowed on jerseys is still pending approval and is currently being discussed.