Michigan athletics signs deal to add advertisement inside Big House

Michigan Stadium is officially entering the new era of college sports.

The Wolverines have agreed to a deal with a trio of sponsors − Coca-Cola, Meijer and Google Gemini − all of whom will have advertisements inside the stadium on the walls surrounding the field and signage on both sides of their videoboards on the north and south sides of the field, the program announced on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

The school shared renderings of what the advertisements will look like as the Big House enters its 99th season and is currently the largest stadium in the country with a capacity of 107,601.

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“The Leaders and Best Champion Partners Program reflects the next step in Michigan Athletics’ proud tradition of excellence,” athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. “This is not a departure from who we are, but an evolution that strengthens our ability to remain a national leader, compete for championships, and support our student-athletes in the modern era of college athletics.”

Earlier this year, Manuel said the department was in search of additional ways to raise revenue in an era where expenses are skyrocketing with name, image and likeness costs. The release, which states all the advertisements will either be in maize, blue or white, said the advertisements can include “on-field and stadium-based branding, scoreboard integrations and end zone placements, digital and in-game sponsorship activations.”

The idea of jersey patches is still in “exploration” but could be quite lucrative; Notre Dame’s recent agreement with SoFi technologies is expected to bring in $18-20 million annually.

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Advertisements had been few and far between for Michigan, with only Gatorade logos on the sideline equipment, an Allstate emblem on the nets behind the field goal posts and a Michigan Medicine emblem on the blue injury tent.

The Allstate nets went up prior to the 2025 season after an agreement with U-M; the company has donated $1,500 for every extra point and $500 for every field goal to Michigan’s athletic scholarship fund.

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“Michigan Stadium is one of the most iconic and cherished venues in all of sports, and we have been deeply intentional about preserving its tradition, character, and identity,” Manuel’s statement continued. “As we introduce this partner program, we will do so with care and purpose, ensuring that any brand partner presence is strategic, tasteful, and aligned with the values of the University of Michigan.

“We are grateful for the meaningful investment these partners are making in Michigan Athletics and, most importantly, in our student-athletes. Their support will help position Michigan to thrive in the evolving revenue-sharing and NIL landscape while continuing to pursue championship success at the highest level.”

Michigan projects upwards of $297 million in athletics revenue and expenses in the 2026-27 season. The NIL budget, just for the football program, is in the ballpark of $35-40 million and coach Kyle Whittingham told the Free Press this summer at this pace, the going rate of a competitive, championship-level football program in 2027 could reach nearly $50 million.

Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan athletics signs deal to add advertisement inside Big House