The two biggest jersey patch deals in college sports were announced yesterday.
Ohio State announced a deal with JPMorganChase that is reportedly set to pay the school around $17M per year.
"JPMorganChase is a global brand with deep roots in Ohio, making them a natural partner that shares our commitment to innovation, excellence and long-term community impact," said Ross Bjork, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes' deal dwarfed every other previously announced partnership...until Notre Dame upped the ante.
In near-coordinated fashion, the Irish announced their partnership with SoFi Technologies, valued at nearly $20M annually.
“Our ‘4 for Forever’ promise at Notre Dame is paramount to providing the best student-athlete experience in the country,” said Pete Bevacqua, University of Notre Dame Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics. “SoFi shares in this commitment to developing strong, ambitious leaders who are set up for success at Notre Dame and beyond. Together, our relationship will create lasting value for our student-athletes and their families for generations to come.”
Both partnerships set a new benchmark for the largest brands in college sports to base their valuations. The gap between the top tier and the rest continues to widen, even within the Power conferences themselves. On Monday, fellow Big Ten member Illinois announced a six-year deal with Busey Bank for $30M total - which Ohio State and Notre Dame will surpass in less than two full seasons. The Big 12 recently announced a conference-wide deal with Monster Energy that pays each school just over $1M annually.
The jersey patch arms race is here, folks.
Links, news, and notes:
Minnesota landed a commitment from 2027 four-star Isaiah Santos.
Check out schedules for Cal Baptist, Pitt, San Diego,
Maryland and South Carolina will face off in Baltimore on December 19.
Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard has hired Petar Aleksic as an assistant coach.
The US Virgin Islands Paradise Jam bracket was released.
The College Sports Communicators released official guidance on what to call 5th-year players.
Purdue beat the University of Calgary, 79-48. Antoine West Jr. had 14 points while Gicarri Harris and Omer Meyer both had 11.
Louisville won its first game in the Bahamas, 101-52. De'Shayne Montgomery led the way with 20 points. Flory Bidunga had 18 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks.
New content at Basket Under Review
On a new episode of STATS by Will & Jim, the guys discussed their top jump seat coaches heading into next season.
Joey Dwyer spoke to Queens (NC) Grant Leonard about his sweaters, teaching and leading Queens to the NCAA Tournament.
Our Top 50 team countdown continues with the Texas A&M Aggies.
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