​Among the newest revenue streams in college athletics is advertising on uniforms, with the NCAA allowing sponsor patches. While some schools have secured individual deals, the Big 12 Conference becomes the first to strike a conference-wide arrangement that encompasses all of its member institutions. Monster Energy was announced on Tuesday as the Big 12’s entitlement partner for football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball, in a $20 million per year deal that will see every one of the conference’s 16 member schools have co-branded patches for the energy drink on their game jerseys. The agreement also places Monster Energy logos on all Big 12 basketball courts and on football fields, with the old conference emblem being replaced in each venue.
Under the terms of the deal, each Big 12 school will receive roughly $1 million annually. In addition, Monster Energy will sponsor the regular seasons for both basketball and football, extending its visibility across the league’s marquee athletic programs.
The energy drink sponsorship arrives amid a broader trend of universities pursuing naming and sponsorship opportunities for major facilities. For example, Arizona recently secured naming rights deals for its two largest venues. Casino del Sol agreed to a 20-year, $60 million deal last November to rename Arizona Stadium. Then in February, the university renamed McKale Center to reflect the new naming agreement, McKale Center at ALKEME Arena, under a 15-year, $27.7 million contract. These moves illustrate how universities are leveraging corporate partnerships to fund facility enhancements and athletic department needs.
The Monster Energy deal with the Big 12 does not prohibit Arizona or other Big 12 schools from pursuing their own jersey-patch sponsorships or additional branding opportunities. However, this arrangement does bar other energy drink brands from obtaining similar patches within Big 12 uniforms. Athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois has indicated that pursuing additional patches remains on her radar as a way to help the athletics department generate the funds necessary to offset new costs tied to revenue sharing in modern college sports. This strategic approach aligns with the broader objective of sustaining competitive programs while navigating the financial realities of collective revenue models in collegiate athletics.