Ohio State's Uniform Patches Spark Commercialization Concerns
Ohio State University's athletic department has come under fire for adding sponsorship patches to their uniforms. The school is partnering with JPMorgan Chase, Nike, and the Big Ten Conference to place logos on all 36 varsity sport teams' jerseys.
The move has sparked criticism from some fans, who worry that it will lead to a proliferation of sponsorships and commercialization of college sports. One writer compared the uniform patches to those found on NASCAR driver suits, predicting that the trend could eventually spread to other areas of campus life, including team buses and staff uniforms.
Others defended the move as necessary for the school's athletic program to remain competitive in a crowded marketplace. They noted that Ohio State spends about $15 million per year on assistant football coaches' salaries, which some saw as excessive.