NCAA Division I has approved uniform advertising patches as a new revenue stream to help schools fund player compensation under new revenue-sharing rules.
Starting August 1, Division I teams may place up to two uniform patches, each no larger than 4 square inches, during regular-season games, in addition to existing manufacturer logos. Decisions on postseason events like March Madness, the College World Series, and other tournaments will be handled separately to avoid conflicts with NCAA sponsors. The College Football Playoff is also evaluating how patches could work in its postseason.
According to Sports Business Journal, college football and basketball programs could earn anywhere from $500,000 to $12 million annually from patch deals, similar to the eight-figure sums seen in some professional leagues.
The move is aimed at helping athletic departments cover up to $20.5 million per year in player revenue sharing now permitted under new rules. It follows earlier NCAA approval allowing logos on football fields.
Professional leagues like the NBA, NHL, and Major League Baseball already allow uniform ads, leaving the NFL as the only major U.S. league without them.