Big changes are coming to college sports - and they’re stitched right into the fabric of the game.
Starting August 1, NCAA Division I programs will be allowed to feature corporate patches on their uniforms, equipment, and apparel during the regular season and conference championships. It’s a move that signals another step into the evolving landscape of college athletics, where the business side of the sport is becoming more visible - literally.
This shift, approved late last week by the NCAA’s Division I Cabinet, opens the door for schools to place up to two commercial logos on uniforms and apparel, and one additional logo on equipment during the regular season and preseason. Come conference championship time, teams can add another logo to their uniforms and apparel. Each logo is capped at 4 square inches, which is about the size of a credit card - small enough not to overwhelm the jersey, but big enough to make a corporate mark.
The NCAA emphasized that this isn’t just about slapping logos on jerseys for the sake of it. According to Josh Whitman, Illinois’ athletic director and chair of the Division I Cabinet, the decision is about generating new revenue streams to help fund the expanded financial benefits now available to student-athletes. As he put it, “College sports are in an exciting new era of increased financial benefits for student-athletes,” and this policy is designed to help sustain that momentum.
It’s important to note that these patches won’t show up during NCAA championship events - this is strictly for non-NCAA postseason play, like regular season games and conference tournaments. And while schools now have more freedom to monetize their gear, there are still guardrails in place. Placement of the patches will be regulated by each sport’s rules committees to ensure they don’t interfere with officiating or obscure critical parts of the uniform, like numbers or logos.
This move is part of a broader NCAA effort to give schools and conferences more autonomy - to let them set standards that align with their own values and needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all rulebook. It’s also a reflection of the changing financial landscape in college sports. Between NIL deals, media rights, and now jersey sponsorships, the economic engine behind college athletics is running hotter than ever.
Whether you’re a fan of this direction or not, the reality is clear: college sports are evolving, and the uniforms are starting to tell that story too.