How will the college jersey patch sponsorship market work? I asked around.

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It didn’t end up happening during the NCAA convention, but by now, you’ve probably heard the news: Division I college programs can now sell sponsorship patches on athletic uniforms. Schools across D-I, from the mega-brands in the Big Ten to smaller ones in the Horizon League, are expressing interest in securing a new revenue stream.

Some schools, like UNLV, have already secured sponsors. Others are expected to make announcements over the coming months.

Ray Katz, the president of Collegiate Sports Management Group, told me he thinks this rule change is “groundbreaking,” even though the NBA, NHL, MLB and international soccer already sell uniform patches. In his view, a potential collegiate jersey patch partner isn’t just buying a transactional chunk of real estate on a uniform. It’s also buying into the shared prestige and affinity of the institution. “That’s not the same thing as buying a patch on a Celtics jersey,” he added.

Keith Miller, the vice president of Influxer (a company that specializes in co-branded NIL merchandise), agreed. In fact, he sees so much potential in collegiate jersey patches that his company was one of the first to actually buy one, doing a deal with Missouri Baptist. NAIA schools have permitted patches since 2024, and a handful of schools have taken the plunge.

But both men told me that while they are excited about the potential of the D-I marketplace and believe there could be great value for brands and schools, they also believe schools shouldn’t rush into anything. Finding the right partner, and the right price, can be a complicated process that involves a lot of variables.