Sources: NCAA officials mulling change to allow on-field corporate sponsorships

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Outside of the Hilton Sandestin, a beachside resort where the Southeastern Conference historically holds its annual conference meetings, the league’s logo illuminates the hotel’s exterior in the dark of night.

This week, it is the SEC Hilton Sandestin. Or the Hilton Sandestin presented by the SEC.

It is fitting. Soon, perhaps in this very conference, sponsorships will be expanded to football fields and, even, player jerseys.

Within the NCAA’s government structure, officials are seriously considering legislative changes to permit schools to display corporate logos on their football fields. While more debate is expected next month within the NCAA playing rules oversight committee, administrators expect a resolution that opens the door for on-field sponsorships — and, perhaps eventually, corporate patches on player jerseys.

Two days into the SEC’s three-day administrative meetings here on the Florida panhandle, questions loom about the future college sports model: Will football rosters be reduced to 85 players? How will a school distribute revenue amid Title IX requirements? What entity will be responsible for enforcing the revenue-sharing cap?

Of all the swirling uncertainty, the many doubts and the unanswered questions, one thing is quite clear: College athletic departments, in the age of direct athlete compensation, are exploring ways to find untapped revenue sources.

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And it appears that corporate signage is chief among them, as well as renewed interest in playing a ninth conference game.

“I believe the NCAA is going to allow us to put a sponsor logo on the field during the regular season,” said Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin. “That’s an obvious revenue stream that has not been there in the past. Pro sports are putting…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-ncaa-officials-mulling-change-to-allow-on-field-corporate-sponsorships-230642795.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-05-29 23:06:42

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