It looks like a sponsorship patch is coming to the Texas Longhorns football jerseys. On Tuesday, we got a glimpse of the alteration UT is making to the football uniforms, moving the SEC patch from under the shoulder to the middle. The move clearly seems like a precursor to a partner logo.
There has been a rule change in college football allowing teams to add a sponsorship logo to their jerseys. The rule goes into effect on Aug. 1, just in time for the 2026 season. Division I programs can place commercial advertising patches on player uniforms.
The move will open another line of revenue to athletic departments, all trying to improve their NIL capital to keep up with, or stay ahead of, the rest of the sport.
LSU couldn’t wait for Aug. 1 and has already announced it will partner with Woodside Energy on a uniform patch. The logo will appear in school colors, integrating the purple and gold.
With the SEC logo location switch and other conference rivals already making deals, you can almost guarantee Texas is making room for an ad partner. It is also a good bet the logo that goes on the Texas uniform will be all-white on the UT burnt orange home jerseys and just burnt orange on the ice white road uniforms.
While there could be a company out of the blue that could swoop in and sponsor Longhorns jerseys, Texas generally likes doing business with existing partners. Let’s take a look at the companies that are already UT partners to see who might be the best fit.
1. Humann
Humann (formerly known as Neogenis) is a health and wellness company that produces dietary supplements focused on cardiovascular health, athletic endurance and blood flow.
Analysis: Humann seems like the most logical choice. Last year, a Humann sponsorship logo was added to the field at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. A health focused company also fits the general mission of athletics.
2. Dell
Dell Technologies is one of the biggest computer companies in the world, specializing in personal computing, software, servers, data storage and cloud solutions.
Analysis: Dell is a current Longhorns athletics sponsor, plus the former UT student is investing over a billion dollars in a new medical facility on campus. A jersey sponsorship would be a nice touch, especially given Dell’s connection with the Austin community.
3. Ricoh
Ricoh is best known for manufacturing office equipment like printers and copiers. But the company the company now specializes in software, IT services, and cloud solutions and helps businesses optimize and organize information managment, digital workflows and workspaces.
Analysis: The stock is healthy for a company that isn’t a household name. A prominent spot on the Texas Longhorns jersey would definitely increase Ricoh’s visibility.
4. St. David’s Healthcare
Based just north of campus, St. David’s is one of the largest health systems in the state and a longtime partner of University of Texas athletics.
Analysis: On the plus side, St. David’s involvement with UT goes back decades. The hospital was one of the first big sponsors of Texas athletics. But it is “just” a local Austin company and the administration might be looking for a more national brand.
5. American Airlines
AA is one of the biggest airlines in the world. The company’s headquarters are in Texas and American’s main hub is DFW Airport. It is also the primary commercial airline used by Texas athletics.
Analysis: American seems like a bit of a long shot. But AA is the name on two Arenas in the US, Dallas and Miami, and have a long history of sports partnerships.
Other candidates
Motorola – The smart phone company has had a facility in Austin for years and are trying to re-enter the market in a bigger way.
Yeti – The to-go mug maker is an interesting possibility. It might want to stay neutral and not sponsor one team. But a blue blood jersey sponsorship might be a way to grow the already growing company.
Probably Not
Alcohol – Texas Athletics has a lot of sponsors. But not all will work on a college jersey. There is no way UT will put an alcohol partner on the uniform. So you can eliminate current sponsors Titos’s Vodka, Bug Light, Bulleit Whiskey, Corona, Dulce Vida Tequila.
Unworkable names – A few of UT’s partnerships probably won’t get their name on the jersey based on its name. It’s hard to imagine the Horns rolling out with “Dick’s Sporting Gods,” or “Monster Energy.” “Cotton Holdings” might not work, or “Seat Geek” for that matter. If the logo would end up causing too much controversy or derision from rival fans, it won’t work.
Too Big: American could be on this list. The Airline might be too big. Texas is also partners with Coke and Gatorade, both are probably too big to tie themselves to one team. The same is potentially true with SiriusXM, I-Heart-Radio and T-Mobile. Nike already has their logo on the uniforms.
Too Small: Old Dominion Freight Lines might be too small, and also hard to do on a minimalistic patch. UFCU and Trust are both probably too small. Lucchese Boots, Groundworks Coffee and LLH Healthcare all might not have the desired wide appeal.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Top 5 possible sponsorship logos for a Texas Football jersey ad patch
Reporting by Trey Luerssen, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Trey Luerssen, Longhorns Wire | USA TODAY Network
