The Michigan Wolverines athletic department has spent the last few years working on ways to increase revenue in the new era of college sports, which includes revenue sharing with student-athletes. According to Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, all options are on the table.
Over the last year, Michigan has added outdoor concerts to its repertoire by hosting Zach Bryan last fall at the Big House, with two Morgan Wallen concerts coming this summer. Now, it seems that jersey patches, on-field advertising and in-game sponsorships are all on the table.
“The landscape of college athletics continues to change at a rapid pace, and Michigan Athletics is taking the necessary and proactive steps to secure our leadership role now and far into the future,” Manuel wrote in an email to athletics supporters. “To consistently compete for championships across all 29 of our varsity sports, we must look at new, innovative revenue streams. Crucially, this includes expanding our support for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) to build and sustain the championship-caliber rosters you expect—and that delivered a football national championship in 2023, our men’s basketball national championship this year, and seven Big Ten Championships during the 2025-26 academic year…