Advertisements are inescapable in 2026, as much as ever. Between scrolling on Instagram, tuning into that evening’s game and going out for a drink you’re bound to be bombarded with several different adverts for beer, apparel, financial resources and other products.
To be blunt, it sucks. It’s annoying and nobody anywhere wants to see more ads but that just seems to be where we’re heading.
Ads on jerseys are nothing new. The NBA has had jersey patches for several seasons now and they’re the focal point
of most soccer kits. What is new is ads on college jerseys. Some feel natural, like the Culver’s logo on a Wisconsin football jersey. Others feel absolutely buckwild, like the Monster Energy logo next to the Big 12 logo on all those teams’ jerseys.
Which is part of why Indiana’s new partnership is probably the best case scenario.
This was bound to happen. Some jersey patch partnerships came together really quickly, like that of Wisconsin and Culver’s. Others have been slower to come together, with Indiana taking its time in going official on a deal. Money makes collegiate athletics go and, with the way the Hoosiers are trending in major sports, more money can only be more helpful.
As for the deal itself, Indiana expanded on an existing partnership with Merchants Bank, which already owned the naming rights to the field at Memorial Stadium, to include the rights to a jersey patch for all 24 varsity programs under the athletic department’s umbrella. The Merchants Bank logo will appear on jerseys and coaches’ apparel with expanded exposure in Indiana’s venues, digital platforms, social media channels and more.
Merchants Bank is an Indiana-based financial institution and its chairman, Michael Petrie, is an Indiana University alumnus. Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti and various athletes, including quarterback Josh Hoover, have appeared in advertisements for Merchants Bank since the onset of the 2026 season.
The patch itself seems to minimize its invasiveness on the Hoosiers’ uniforms, something I’d imagine is quite intentional. While the Culver’s logo, and all its blueness, really stands out against Wisconsin red, the Merchants Bank patch blends in with a crimson background on white lettering and imagery. It’s similar to that of Chase Bank on Ohio State’s uniforms, with Chase forgoing their usual blue imagery for a white that matches both the numbers and Big Ten logo on the Buckeyes’ jerseys.
As for the partner itself, Indiana and its athletes have worked with Merchants Bank for years now. They’re very familiar with one another and, while I won’t pretend to have any inside knowledge, I’d imagine each side thought of this as a possibility as soon as sponsorship patches on jerseys was approved as a rule.
Is it flashy? No. Frankly, good. You’d probably rather the sponsorship patch not exist at all, it being pretty basic and blending in relatively well is the next best scenario.
So, yes, while there will be righteous disappointment at the Hoosiers taking the field of play with yet another advertisement, it’ll ultimately prove helpful for the athletic department as a whole and won’t be an eyesore.
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