Caterpillar and Busey Bank Sign Multi-Year Agreements with University of Illinois
The University of Illinois's football field is set to feature company logos on its 25-yard lines as part of a multi-year agreement with Caterpillar. The Illinois Fighting Illini athletic department did not disclose the payment amount, but stated it would be used to support a range of costs within the Athletic Department.
Illinois AD Josh Whitman said that the cash from the Busey Bank deal will go towards player compensation and other expenses, which have been rising. The Busey Bank agreement is worth $30 million over five seasons.
This trend of corporate sponsorships in college sports is becoming increasingly common. Other schools have also signed similar deals, including Wisconsin with Culver's jersey patches, Notre Dame with SoFi jersey patches (worth $18-$20 million annually), Ohio State with JPMorganChase patches ($17 million annually), Arkansas with Tyson Foods, and the Big 12 with Monster Energy ($20 million annually).
LSU has partnered with Woodside Energy, while Michigan State has a deal with MSU Federal Credit Union (worth around $40 million total over 10 years). Additionally, Progressive Insurance will have logos on 13 different fields across various schools.