Ohio State, Notre Dame Sign Jersey Patch Deals Worth Up to $20 Million a Year
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 28
Ohio State, Notre Dame Sign Jersey Patch Deals Worth Up to $20 Million a Year
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 28
Summary
$17 million for Ohio State and $18 million-$20 million annually for Notre Dame put two blue-blood programs into college sports' new jersey-sponsorship market.
Chase's logo will appear on all Ohio State teams starting in 2026-27, while SoFi's patch will go on Notre Dame football jerseys next season and beyond under a six-year agreement.
The deals follow the NCAA's decision to let schools sell uniform ad space beginning with the 2026 football season, allowing up to two extra commercial logos on uniforms and apparel.
A 4-square-inch cap limits patch size, but the new inventory is already expanding conference and school-level sales after the Big 12's reported $20 million Monster Energy agreement.
That opening is expected to widen the revenue gap in Division I, as brands will pay far more for exposure at schools like Ohio State and Notre Dame than at smaller conferences.
With mega-brands securing massive sponsorship deals for the 2026 season, how will smaller athletic programs survive the widening financial gap?
As elite schools now rake in millions from jersey patches, will this corporate gold rush ultimately destroy college sports tradition?
$20 Million Jersey Patches: How Notre Dame and Ohio State’s 2026 Deals Redefined College Sports Commercialization
Overview
The July 2026 landmark jersey patch deals by Notre Dame and Ohio State mark a turning point in college sports, driven by the House v. NCAA settlement that allowed direct revenue sharing with athletes. As athletic departments face soaring roster costs, the NCAA approved new rules permitting corporate logos on uniforms, enabling schools to secure multi-million dollar sponsorships. Ohio State’s partnership with JPMorgan Chase and Notre Dame’s deal with SoFi provide crucial funding for athlete compensation and student support programs. However, this commercialization also forces schools to cut or restructure Olympic sports, threatening the U.S. Olympic pipeline and raising Title IX concerns.