Kansas is about to put a cryptocurrency logo on its uniforms, and that makes the Jayhawks part of a very small - and very new - club in college athletics.
The school announced Wednesday morning that it has reached a patch sponsorship agreement with digital finance company Ripple. Under the deal, Kansas Athletics jerseys will carry XRP Cryptocurrency patches, including the KU men’s basketball uniforms. The school said the partnership is multiyear.
“This era of college athletics demands innovative, forward-thinking partnerships,” said Travis Goff, KU’s athletic director, in a news release. “Ripple recognizes the unique reach and passion of the Jayhawk community, and we’re proud they have chosen Kansas Athletics as a premier platform to introduce XRP to millions of sports fans. Having the XRP logo displayed on our Jayhawk uniforms reflects a shared commitment to innovation and excellence.”
A source in the KU athletic department told The Star the jersey sponsorship includes a “significant” NIL contribution.
The timing is notable. Kansas made its announcement one day after the Big 12 said its teams will wear Monster Energy patches on their jerseys, with Monster Energy logos also appearing on Big 12 fields and courts.
Jersey patches are still a fairly new feature in college sports. The NCAA approved them in January, though schools cannot officially add them to jerseys until August 1. Under that ruling, Division I teams can have up to two commercial logos on their uniforms, with each logo limited to four square inches.
Kansas is not the only school moving into this space. Arkansas has announced a patch deal with Tyson Foods, Memphis with FedEx and Wisconsin with Culver’s.
Cryptocurrency branding has already shown up in pro sports, too, with teams such as the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers wearing Crypto.com patches. The Los Angeles Lakers also play in Crypto.com Arena.
Kansas Athletics also included comments from Bill Self, Lance Leipold and Brandon Schneider in its release.
“This is an important day for all of Kansas Athletics, and we are certainly happy to be a part of that,” Self said. “It’s a critical time in college athletics to be bold, and that’s what is being accomplished with today’s announcement. We will make sure our guys understand the significance of the partnership and why it is beneficial for them moving forward.”
“Our football program is excited to proudly display the XRP logo on our jerseys,” Leipold said. “We’re thankful to have such a strong relationship with Ripple through the leadership of CEO and proud Jayhawk, Brad Garlinghouse. We think this is a great partnership between two strong brands with bright futures.”
“We are excited to have our team represent XRP while they are competing as Jayhawks,” Schneider said. “This is a great time for student-athletes to be at Kansas, and today’s announcement is another indication of that.
Our department is always looking for ways to innovate and be different and that is exciting to be part of. We are thankful for the partnership with XRP and look forward to much success moving forward.”
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Beyond the look of the jerseys, the partnership is being tied to a broader push around campus. Ripple is also said to be funding financial and technology education efforts at KU while helping connect Kansas graduates with tech jobs, giving the agreement a reach that goes well past game day. KUs release frames it as a first-of-its-kind crypto jersey deal for a major college program, which is the kind of move that tends to draw attention long before the uniforms do. [Read more 🡒]