NCAA Approves Jersey Patch Sponsorships, Effective for Fall 2026 Season
January 27, 2026
On Friday, January 23, the NCAA approved a new rule that will permit Division I programs “to place additional commercial logos or patches on uniforms, equipment, and apparel for any non-NCAA championship competition, including the regular season.” This change comes on the heels of the landmark House settlement, which paved the way for schools to directly share revenue with student-athletes up to an annual cap. By permitting schools to place sponsorship patches on uniforms, equipment, and apparel, the NCAA has unlocked an important new source of potential revenue for schools to help fund payments to student-athletes.
Under the new rule, schools will now be allowed to have “up to two additional commercial logos on their uniforms and apparel and one additional commercial logo on equipment during the preseason and regular season.” Schools will also be permitted to add an additional logo on uniforms and apparel for conference championships, and the NCAA is exploring the possibility of permitting sponsorship patches during NCAA championship games. NCAA subcommittees will provide guidance on permissible patch placements but under the current rule no patch can exceed four square inches in size.
The new rule takes effect on August 1, ahead of the Fall 2026 athletic season. Many universities and organizations have been preparing for this potential change—with some jersey patch deals already announced. We expect additional opportunities for potential partnerships will arise over the coming months in advance of the 2026 season. O’Melveny has extensive experience negotiating and drafting jersey and equipment sponsorship deals and continues to closely monitor the changing college-sports landscape and market post-House.
This memorandum is a summary for general information and discussion only and may be considered an advertisement for certain purposes. It is not a full analysis of the matters presented, may not be relied upon as legal advice, and does not purport to represent the views of our clients or the Firm. Steven J. Olson, an O'Melveny partner licensed to practice law in California; Amy Siegel, an O’Melveny partner licensed to practice law in California; Timothy B. Heafner, an O'Melveny partner licensed to practice law in California; Matthew R. Cowan, an O’Melveny partner licensed to practice law in California; Max Rothman, an O'Melveny counsel licensed to practice law in California; and Cailey Cavanaugh, an O'Melveny counsel licensed to practice law in California, contributed to the content of this newsletter. The views expressed in this newsletter are the views of the authors except as otherwise noted.
© 2026 O’Melveny & Myers LLP. All Rights Reserved. Portions of this communication may contain attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Please direct all inquiries regarding New York’s Rules of Professional Conduct to O’Melveny & Myers LLP, 1301 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1700, New York, NY, 10019, T: +1 212 326 2000.