Ripple has signed a five-year partnership with the University of Kansas, making XRP the first cryptocurrency to appear on the jerseys of a major NCAA Division I athletics program. The deal marks a new milestone for crypto’s presence in mainstream sports while carrying a personal meaning for Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse.
Sharing the announcement on X, Garlinghouse wrote, “Rare moment where my professional and personal worlds collide: XRP is now the first crypto on the jersey of a major college athletics program, at my alma mater. XRP Family, meet the Jayhawks. Rock Chalk!”
Garlinghouse, who was born in Topeka and graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Economics, described the partnership as a special moment that connects both his career and college roots.
Under the agreement, the XRP logo will appear on the uniforms of the Kansas Jayhawks’ football and basketball teams, along with other university athletic programs. The partnership is expected to put the XRP brand in front of millions of college sports fans over the next five years.
Kansas Athletics also welcomed the collaboration, saying, “A shared commitment to innovation and excellence. Kansas Athletics is proud to announce a new groundbreaking partnership with Ripple, bringing the XRP brand to Jayhawk uniforms.”
But the deal goes beyond branding. Ripple has committed to supporting financial literacy and technology education programs for student-athletes and the wider university community.
The company says the initiative will help students build skills that will benefit them beyond their athletic careers.
However, sports deals are not new in crypto, crypto firms have a mixed history with sports sponsorships. FTX secured the naming rights to the Miami Heat’s arena in 2021 and Terra signed a major five-year deal with MLB’s Washington Nationals before collapsing, raising concerns about crypto partnerships. Recently, however, the trend has returned, with companies like Coinbase sponsoring the NBA and Ledger partnering with the San Antonio Spurs, showing renewed confidence in sports marketing.
The partnership also builds on an existing relationship between Ripple and the university. The University of Kansas already operates an official XRP Ledger validator through its engineering school, making it an active participant in the XRP ecosystem.
While the announcement was widely seen as a major step for crypto adoption and brand visibility, it had little immediate impact on the token’s price. Following the news, XRP, the sixth largest cryptocurrency fell 1.55%, although futures open interest rose slightly, suggesting some increase in trading activity.
Even so, the sponsorship stands out as a landmark moment for both Ripple and college sports, showing how crypto companies are increasingly looking beyond traditional sponsorships to reach mainstream audiences.
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