The (potential) upcoming approval of brand sponsorship patches on college football uniforms might be one of the most significant financial shifts in college sports since the introduction of NIL. And once a new precedent is set by the football gods, it won’t take long for other NCAA sports programs to follow suit.
From our POV, there are both benefits and drawbacks to opening these particular floodgates. On the plus side, sponsored jersey / uniform / equipment patches can help traditionally underfunded sports, like swimming, lacrosse, women’s softball, etc. potentially reach greater equity without the teams having to fundraise on their own. (We’ve already seen the major economic impact of these kinds of deals for emerging professional leagues, like the NWSL, PWHL, and USL2). On the downside, it’s another avenue for universities to make money off of their athletes’ performance, without the guarantee of the money being funneled back into their specific program, or into supporting the individual athletes themselves.
But po-TAY-to, po-TAH-to, it’s hard to argue the value of jersey sponsorships for the brands who get behind them. They’re some of the most highly-coveted placements in sports, and have the potential to reach hundreds of millions of eyeballs over the course of a season. But with all of politics in higher ed, the specific deals for collegiate patches are going to have to make logical, values-aligned sense for the university as a whole — not just for the Athletic Director — in order to get the greenlight. They’ll also have to stand-up to fan scrutiny, societal or cultural implications, and institutional donor feedback, which may not always be easy boxes to check.
But what if (you knew this was coming)...
…what if brands weren’t the only ones getting in on the jersey patch action? What if nonprofits jumped into the whirlwind, too, bringing another dimension to the conversation beyond commercialization alone?
Not all nonprofits will fit the bill for every school, of course (Planned Parenthood may not want to sponsor Texas Tech, for example), but in instances where a university’s mission or belief-system is in lock-step with an NPO? Those partnerships would not only have the power to drive incremental funding for the school, but would also help the university attract new students and recruits because of their willingness to make a statement, and the added value that the NPO’s programming could bring to their curriculum. And with nonprofit budgets making professional league sponsorships nearly impossible, getting into the college game would give them access to a younger supporter, advocate, volunteer, and donor base across nearly every media platform out there.
So — if we were given carte blanche to make this strategic move happen, where would we start?
Here are a few NPO x college patch collabs we’d prioritize on our list:
🌍 NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and schools with strong environmental science, sustainability, environmental law, forestry, or oceanography programs, to promote conservation and advocacy:
- University of Colorado at Boulder
- University of Vermont
- University of Washington
- University of Oregon
- Virginia Tech
As part of a team patch or other sponsorship deal, NRDC would work with the college’s environmental degree programs to provide added learning resources and internship opportunities, creating a free-flow of ideas, talent, and impact between the two partners. This would provide a huge value to the school in terms of its academic credentials, while simultaneously giving NRDC a new pathway for developing the next generation of environmental advocates.
Mockup of a University of Oregon women’s soccer player wearing the NRDC jersey patch, with signage on the pitch
🐕 The AKC (American Kennel Club) and schools with dogs as their mascots — especially less “traditionally” popular breeds — to promote canine education, healthcare, and responsible ownership:
- UConn (Huskies)
- University of Georgia (English Bulldog)
- University of Tennessee (Bluetick Coonhound)
- Southern Illinois University (Saluki)
- Boston University (Boston Terrier)
Most people don’t know that AKC is more than a breed registry and dog shows. Their sister organizations, including the Canine Health Foundation and AKC Reunite, work to advance the health and safety of all dogs. And their training programs, like Canine Good Citizen, provide pups and their owners with the skills to live happy, healthy lives together. A college team sponsorship with AKC would not only bring revenue to the school, but could also bring the joy of dogs — literally — to in-person gameday experiences through AKC’s local breed clubs. Bonus: AKC would be opening an entirely new avenue for reaching Gen Zers and Gen Alpha(ers?) who are borderline obsessed with their pets.
Mockup of an AKC English Bulldog Club outside of UGA’s Sanford Stadium, with “Meet the Breed” opportunities and educational resources for students and fans
🗣️ The Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) and schools with a history of outstanding coaches, to promote the importance of human-centered coaching, ethical leadership, and safe team environments for all:
- Clemson University (Dabo Swinney, Football)
- Villanova University (Jay Wright, Men’s Basketball)
- University of Tennessee (Pat Summitt, Women’s Basketball)
- University of South Carolina (Dawn Staley, Women’s Basketball)
- UCLA (Margueritte Aozasa, Women’s Soccer)
PCA’s vision is to create “a world where every young person benefits from a positive youth sports experience with a coach who inspires them to become the best version of themselves in the game and in life.” Through a collab with any of these schools, PCA could bring their existing workshops and training programs to students and alumni, empowering them to volunteer as coaches in their local communities. And the colleges themselves? They’d benefit from the halo effect of being connected to the leading coaching nonprofit in the country, with major brand and financial backing from ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative. High fives for everyone involved.
Mockup of signage announcing a Positive Coaching Alliance and Villanova Basketball brand and programming sponsorship
🗳️ Headcount and colleges with strong political science or public policy programs to promote nonpartisan democratic principles, voter registration, and civic engagement:
- Georgetown University
- UC Berkeley
- UNC at Chapel Hill
- University of Michigan
- The Ohio State University
While this one may seem a little touchy out of the gate, especially considering our current political climate, it could be an incredibly powerful sponsorship opportunity for universities that aren’t backing down from their core beliefs in democracy, open dialogue, and progress for all. There’s a good chance that students, administrators, alumni, and donors are all on the same page here, and Headcount’s focus on using community events, concerts, and festivals to encourage civic engagement is right on target for an 18-22 year old audience.
Mockup of a Headcount-sponsored festival at a Cal Berkeley Cross-Country Meet
We’ve thrown a lot of our own experience into this particular Leveling-Up (not that we don’t usually), and see a powerful strategic opportunity for NPOs to take a page from the consumer-marketing playbook when it comes to sports sponsorships. The financial investment is lower than for pro leagues, the ROI is high because of many college teams’ universal appeal, and the target audiences of engaged fans and young adults are ready for deals that have some genuine purpose behind them.
Our prediction? The nonprofits who are courageous enough to make the first move will be the ones who get to set the bar, and reap the rewards, of leveraging sports for social impact. If you’re reading this and you’re one of them…let’s do this together.
