The University of Illinois has inked a landmark deal that Fighting Illini fans will see their favorite athletes donning this fall.
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It’s a new era in college sports, as NIL, revenue sharing and lawsuits galore rampage the NCAA. Schools are looking for any way to get ahead of the competition, and Illinois has now locked in a key source of income.
The university announced on Monday morning that it had agreed to a five-year sponsorship deal with Busey Bank, which is based in Champaign. Busey Bank will become the Official Financial Services Partner of the Fighting Illini and be represented on the jerseys of Illinois’ athletes.
Illinois will receive $30 million over the course of its contract. This is the first such partnership in school history, after the NCAA approved the use of uniform patches by its competing teams in January.
The Busey Bank logo will be placed in the upper corner of most Illinois Athletics jerseys, including the Fighting Illini football and men’s and women’s basketball teams. Illinois volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer and men’s and women’s golf will all wear the patches, starting this fall.
Photo via Illinois Athletics (July 27, 2026)
“With the introduction of increased corporate visibility on uniforms and coaching apparel, it was important for us to identify the right partner for such a high-profile, first-of-its-kind opportunity to be so closely aligned with our student-athletes, staff and the Fighting Illini brand,” athletic director Josh Whitman said. “For nearly 160 years, the University of Illinois and Busey Bank have shared a history that has helped shape this great community. Both of our organizations are experiencing remarkable growth in prominence, reputation and success, and we are excited to help each other further accelerate our respective missions through this exciting partnership.”
Illinois becomes the third Big Ten school to sign a jersey patch sponsorship deal. Michigan State agreed to wear an advertisement for credit union MSUFCU in mid-June and Wisconsin inked a partnership with Midwestern burger restaurant Culver’s late last month. The Spartans are currently the only of the three schools to commit to having every Division I team at the university wear the patch.
Several Fighting Illini programs were not announced to be wearing the Busey Bank patch: men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s gymnastics, swim & dive, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field and wrestling.
Head football coach Bret Bielema revealed at Monday’s announcement that he liked the way the sponsorship patches looked on his team’s uniforms.
“This world that we’re in, some of these that popped up, you’re like, ‘Oh boy,’” Bielema said. “You get NASCAR flashbacks. But this is pretty clean, pretty awesome. The colors go together so well, and the look of it, I thought, was pretty clean.”
Illinois men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood added that he was excited for the opportunity that the partnership would give Illinois athletes.
“This is a milestone day for our program, and for Fighting Illini Athletics, partnering with Busey Bank as we enter the newest chapter in the rapidly changing college sports environment,” Underwood said via statement. “Busey is a forward-thinking organization and like-minded partner. There is great alignment between these community-based institutions, and we are excited to strengthen our relationship for years to come.”
The University of Illinois and Busey Bank share a long history, having both opened within months of each other in 1867 and 1868. Now, the duo will look to build on one of the most successful eras of Fighting Illini athletics.
Illinois reached the Final Four this spring in men’s basketball and has been one of the winningest Big Ten football programs over the past four years. Whitman, who recently signed a contract extension that keeps him in Champaign through 2036, is responsible for hiring Bielema, Underwood and women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green.
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