Ohio State's $17 million JPMorgan jersey patch deal remains undisclosed

Ohio State unveiled a high-profile jersey patch sponsorship with JPMorgan Chase, a deal that one outlet estimates will bring the university close to $17 million each year. The bank’s logo will appear on the chest or sleeves of uniforms for all 36 varsity sports beginning this fall. The university refused to release the full contract after a public-records request, noting that the agreement is between JPMorgan and Learfield, the private firm that manages the school’s corporate sponsorship inventory.

Learfield’s exclusive rights stem from a multimedia agreement that was updated last year to allow such patches following the NCAA’s new uniform-logo policy. Ohio State has used comparable confidential arrangements for other major sponsors, like Safelite at Ohio Stadium. In the 2025 fiscal year, one outlet department reported $42.8 million in revenue from royalties, licensing, advertising and sponsorships, making it the fourth-largest source after ticket sales, contributions and media rights. The deal comes as schools seek new revenue streams to offset rising costs, including athlete compensation mandates approved after recent antitrust settlements.