Ohio State jersey patch deal with JPMorganChase is worth nearly $17M a year
Ohio State’s JPMorganChase partnership will put jersey patches on all 36 Buckeyes teams and add NIL opportunities, ESPN reported.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Ohio State’s jersey patch deal with JPMorganChase is set to bring the Buckeyes nearly $17 million a year, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, who cited sources familiar with the agreement.
The partnership will put JPMorganChase branding on uniforms across all 36 Ohio State teams, ESPN reported. The money makes the arrangement one of the richest non-apparel corporate partnerships in college sports, according to the report.
ESPN also reported that the annual revenue tied to the patches is expected to sit at the top of the college market and exceed the value of many jersey patch agreements in the NBA.
Ohio State Athletics teased the rollout Tuesday in a post on X, writing “Ready to roll” alongside the hashtags #GoBucks and #ChasePartner.
What is in the Ohio State JPMorganChase deal?
The agreement covers jersey patches for every Buckeyes varsity team, ESPN reported. It also includes NIL opportunities for Ohio State athletes.
NIL stands for name, image and likeness. In college sports, it refers to deals that allow athletes to be paid for commercial use of their identity, such as endorsements, appearances or sponsored content.
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said in a statement that JPMorganChase is a global company with strong Ohio ties and called the agreement a broad partnership built around commercial strength, athlete opportunities and long-term support for the school’s athletic programs.
Bjork also said the relationship is meant to help Ohio State sustain competitiveness while respecting the school’s traditions and values.
Why jersey patches are spreading in college sports
Division I leaders approved uniform patches in January as schools searched for new revenue streams, ESPN reported at the time. Athletic departments have been looking for ways to bring in more money as the business of paying players changes.
Under the NCAA rule described by ESPN, teams can add as many as two patches to uniforms for regular-season games, beyond logos already allowed for uniform manufacturers. Each patch can be no larger than 4 square inches.
The Ohio State deal shows how quickly that new space on uniforms can turn into serious money for major athletic departments. A sponsorship that covers all 36 teams gives JPMorganChase visibility far beyond football Saturdays, stretching across the school’s full sports operation.
The College Football Playoff has also been studying how jersey patches could be permitted for the postseason in that sport, ESPN reported. For now, Ohio State’s new agreement is another sign that college uniforms are becoming valuable advertising space as schools chase fresh revenue.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.