In the latest controversial chapter of college athletics’ ever-changing landscape, athletic programs around the nation have been inking jersey patch sponsorship deals ahead of the 2026-27 seasons.

Athletic titans like Notre Dame and Ohio State signed lucrative patch sponsor deals with companies like SoFi and JPMorgan Chase in recent days, and a Penn State deal seems imminent.

Two of our staffers debated whether or not the Nittany Lions should retreat from their old-fashioned uniform ways and get a shiny new patch on all athletic uniforms.

The times are changing, but should Penn State keep up?

Oscar Orellana: Yes

Let’s be honest, folks. Penn State is already behind schools like Notre Dame and Ohio State in the on-field product, so any chance to improve that should be taken enthusiastically. On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Notre Dame’s deal is worth $18-20 million annually. Literally, who in their right mind wouldn’t take that kind of money to just add a little patch to a jersey?

Now, I’m not from Pennsylvania (or even the East Coast, for that matter) and do not come from a Penn State family. I understand that the school has a history and culture I can’t properly fathom, such as the basic blues, no names, and black cleats. But it’s time to get with the times.

If programs with similar history and presence in the college athletics landscape like Notre Dame and Ohio State can swallow their pride and pull the trigger, Penn State absolutely needs to.

Once the finances fall behind, other top-shelf schools will only continue to pile on the tens of millions of dollars from whatever kind of company, and Penn State will be an afterthought sooner rather than later.

Pat Kraft, get the patch on the jerseys. I don’t even care who it is. College football tradition is all but dead. Do not slip up.

Also, I feel that maintaining tradition isn’t really a valid point in the current state of college football, or in sports worldwide. Soccer clubs in every country at every level have some sort of front sponsor on their kits, and soccer is the most tradition-based sport out there. If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere. It’s arrived for college football and shouldn’t be ignored.

Holden Mostofsky: No

First of all, in my opinion, it makes the jerseys look worse. I don’t find them visually appealing, and getting used to jersey patches is a huge adjustment that takes away from other aspects of the uniform.

Second, college football jerseys are some of the coolest, most unique you can find. So many schools have great colors and designs, and the patches could kind of take the eye away.

In Penn State’s situation, they have possibly the most traditional and long-lasting uniforms in CFB. I think many fans and alumni will be upset by the decision and react poorly.

With all this being said, I don’t know what it would look like or the sponsorship they would add to the jersey. If it looks good and the company we’d add on is meaningful, then I wouldn’t argue too much. But I don’t want to see college football turn into a full business organization. It’s still college. I don’t see a need to make everything an advertisement.

I think it’s great to keep tradition, and if the school decides not to, I’ll still love them, but it’d be cool to maintain the image we’ve kept for so long. When every team has sponsorships, and we’re the only ones with original jerseys, we’ll stand out, and maybe it can be a selling point to recruits.