As a result of a long-overdue reckoning with a system that denied payment to players for decades, college football is facing increased expenses. To address these challenges, new revenue streams need to be found. One such way is by allowing corporate logos on fields for regular-season games in all divisions, a move approved by the NCAA’s Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Thursday.
According to Ben Portnoy of Sports Business Journal, schools can now place an ad at the 50-yard line with no more than two smaller ads elsewhere on the field. While this may seem like a blatant cash grab, it is a simple way to increase revenues without relying on alumni and other boosters for funding. Corporate logos have been a part of the bowl season for a long time, so fans should become accustomed to seeing them on fields during regular-season games.
The introduction of corporate logos also adds a competitive element between programs and players. Companies have limited advertising budgets, and schools will now be vying for that money to display on their fields. Meanwhile, players will be hoping to earn some of that money for themselves. This new rule adds further chaos to a system that is already experiencing turmoil, as it navigates the financial challenges of compensating players while dealing with escalating costs.
