Notre Dame just one-upped Ohio State before the season even starts.
The Fighting Irish have inked a six-year jersey patch sponsorship with SoFi that is expected to average $18 million to $20 million annually, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. That makes it the most valuable jersey patch deal in college athletics history — at least for now.
The news lands just days after Ohio State announced its own blockbuster patch partnership with JPMorganChase, which ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported would bring the Buckeyes about $17 million per year. The gap isn’t massive, but the message is clear: Notre Dame’s brand still carries weight, and the school is willing to flex when it comes to revenue.
The SoFi logo will show up on uniforms across all Fighting Irish sports, but let’s be real. It’s the football team that moves the needle. And Notre Dame football has been one of the most recognizable programs in the country for decades. Even after a weird 2025 season.
What the deal means for Notre Dame football
The Fighting Irish are coming off a 2025 campaign that started 0-2 before they ripped off 10 straight wins. That early stumble kept them out of the College Football Playoff, which stung. But the program didn’t exactly lose momentum. If anything, the late-season surge showed they’re still a contender.
Now with an extra $18-plus million per year rolling in, expect the athletic department to keep stacking resources. Notre Dame doesn’t have to share conference revenue with anyone, so every dollar from a deal like this goes straight into the program’s pockets.
Jersey patches have become a standard part of the college sports landscape in the last few years. They are basically free money. The school slaps a logo on a uniform, the company gets exposure on national TV, and everyone walks away happy. Notre Dame just figured out how to maximize that formula better than anyone else so far.
On the field, the Irish open the 2026 season on September 6 at home against Wisconsin. That’s a game that could set the tone for a year where they’ll try to get back into the playoff conversation. And now they’ll do it with a patch that’s worth more than any other team’s.
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