​FRISCO, TX — Kansas State fans have long hoped to see more lavender make its mark on the Wildcats’ football uniforms, but it looks like a different hue will soon be gracing the program. Green is set to join the palette across Kansas State’s athletic gear, along with the rest of the Big 12, after the league unveiled a new branding deal with Monster Energy.
The collaboration was announced during Big 12 Media Days by commissioner Brett Yormark on Tuesday, July 7, in Frisco, Texas. The agreement will feature a Monster Energy patch placed alongside the Big 12 logo on the school’s uniforms for football and both men’s and women’s basketball, with Monster logos expected to appear on-field and on-court as well.
While Yormark did not provide a complete visual description of the logos, Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor offered a few clues about the design. “I’ve seen versions of it,” Taylor said, “and it looks like the Monster logo will sit right on top of the Big 12 logo in some way, shape or form. So it’s not, I don’t think, just outlining our Big 12 in purple or leaving it black… we still have to work through how it will all come together.”
The question many are asking, though, is whether the color will be the signature bright green associated with Monster Energy. Given how the brand’s various flavors shift colors depending on the can, there’s speculation about whether Kansas State could swap in purple or white for certain uniforms. Taylor, however, cleared up the matter: the color must be green. “No, you cannot,” he said. “It’s gotta be green. It has to be green.”
The deal promises a financial boost for the conference, with each Big 12 school slated to receive about $1 million annually. While that figure is welcomed, many observers feel it may be modest given the broader branding landscape and potential marketing value.
For Kansas State, the Monster Energy branding marks more than just a new logo. It could signal the first of at least a couple of uniform and surface changes for the Wildcats. The school is actively pursuing a local sponsor to add an on-jersey logo and an on-field sponsor at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Taylor indicated that landing these sponsorships before the season would be ideal, emphasizing the value of timely updates for the program’s branding and marketing initiatives.
This new era of branding extends beyond football, touching basketball as well. The integration of the Monster Energy logo with the Big 12 insignia across multiple sports highlights the conference’s approach to consistent, recognizable branding across its member schools. The result is a shared visual identity that aligns with the league’s broader marketing strategy while allowing each school to maintain its unique traditions and colors.
Kansas State’s move to incorporate Monster Energy green reflects a broader trend in college athletics toward strategic branding partnerships. Schools are increasingly balancing the preservation of school color identity with the opportunities presented by corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and cross-promotional campaigns. The Monster deal is a clear example of how conferences are leveraging high-profile brands to enhance visibility and revenue, while schools carefully negotiating how these partnerships appear on uniforms, courts, and fields.
As the 2026 season approaches, Wildcats fans will be watching closely to see exactly how the green Monster branding is implemented on jerseys, helmets, and game-day gear. The anticipation extends beyond uniform aesthetics, as supporters wonder how these changes might influence the overall look and feel of Kansas State’s home and away kits, as well as the branding you’ll see on the court and on the field for basketball and football alike.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be followed on X at @WyattWheeler_, reached at 417-371-6987, or emailed at wwheeler@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared in the Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State will have green in football, basketball uniforms. Here’s why.