Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 4
Notre Dame Signs $100 Million SoFi Jersey Patch Deal for 6 Years
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 4

Notre Dame Signs $100 Million SoFi Jersey Patch Deal for 6 Years

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 4

Summary

  • More than $100 million over six years will put SoFi logo patches on uniforms for all Notre Dame student athletes starting this year, ending the school’s long ad-free stance.
  • The shift is driven by the new economics of college sports, with athlete compensation projected at $3.78 billion in 2026-27 and top quarterbacks costing schools as much as $5 million.
  • A January NCAA policy allowing up to two sponsorship patches on uniforms has given schools a new revenue source, and programs including LSU, Wisconsin and Ohio State have already struck similar deals.
  • At Notre Dame, the move has split alumni and fans because the university has long treated its stadium and game-day presentation as unusually free of corporate branding.

Insights

How much of Notre Dame’s record-breaking jersey sponsorship actually trickles down to the athletes wearing the corporate logo?
Will a $100 million jersey patch open the floodgates to stadium naming rights at college sports' most traditional program?
Why are massive financial tech brands betting millions that a tiny jersey patch will win over Gen Z sports fans?