OXFORD | The first visual change in this era of revenue generation in college athletics will likely be noticeable at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this football season.
Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter said he expects the Rebels football stadium to have corporate logos near the hash marks at the 25-yard lines during home games. Traditionally, the Southeastern Conference logo is present in those locations.
“I don’t think we want to become NASCAR and have logos everywhere, on our foreheads, but we’re definitely looking at the on-field logos, what that’s going to look like this year. I would say there’s going to be some version of that this year by the time we get to football season.
“We’re not taking away the Ole Miss script in the middle. We know that has to be there. We are looking more at the hash marks and potentially some type of blended logo with the Ole Miss script if we can make it look appropriate — potentially blended at the 50-yard line. We’ll see. Don’t get too upset yet.”
Carter discussed the need for increased revenue production and many more topics during his recorded appearance on MPW Digital which will air on Monday.
The SEC recently approved on-field corporate logos for athletic venues. Carter said he fully expects the 25-yard-line option to be utilized, and the midfield option isn’t as certain but is possible for 2024.
Schools are focused on increasing revenue and cutting costs with the possibility of revenue sharing on the horizon. Ole Miss, and other SEC schools, may be adding approximately $20 million annually to its outgoing budget in player compensation.
“We have to find new revenue streams,” Carter said. “If we’re going to be have our seat the table in the SEC with the big dogs and have our opportunities in the CFP and NCAA Basketball Tournament, we have to do the rev share and have to build revenue.”
Carter mentioned the midfield Ole Miss logo joined by other phrasing such as “powered by” with a corporation attached.
“I’m not saying we’re doing it, but we’re keeping all revenue ideas on the table and all cost-cutting measures on the table.”
Carter expects corporate logos on jerseys to be the next step, and said the SEC likely approves that option “sooner than later.”
“The patches have an opportunity for a really high revenue mark. It’s more visible. Every camera angle and seeing that logo. A lot of potential for that.”
Elevate valued the highest earning potential for college football jersey patches at approximately $6 million and college basketball jerseys at $2.2 million, with the average jersey patches earning $2.2 million and $590,000, respectively.
“We just dropped the new (white with powder blue) jersey this week and you don’t want to slap a logo on there that looks terrible,” Carter said. “There’s an art and a science on that. We’ll go for all opportunities for revenue but find that balance. We want to hold on to what makes college special while knowing we’re starting to look more like pro sports. It’s about balance at the SEC and school levels.”
