Ripple has signed a multiyear partnership with the University of Louisville athletics program that will place XRP branding on the school's basketball court. The XRP logo will appear permanently on Denny Crum Court at the KFC Yum! Center, where Louisville's men's and women's basketball teams play home games, beginning this season.
The partnership was announced September 15 and gives XRP visibility across both basketball programs through arena, broadcast, and digital branding. The XRP logo will appear on television-visible courtside signage, other KFC Yum! Center placements, Louisville's digital and social platforms, and radio broadcasts for both basketball programs. The new branding will coexist with the court's existing tribute to former coach Denny Crum, whose insignia will remain inside the 3-point arc.
Beyond branding, Ripple will support financial and technology education for University of Louisville student-athletes and the broader campus community. The programming will cover traditional finance and digital assets.
Expansion of College Sports Partnerships
The Louisville agreement expands Ripple's growing presence in U.S. college athletics. Earlier in September, XRP branding reached Florida field under a multiyear agreement with Florida Athletics that reportedly generates $5 million annually. That partnership places XRP branding on the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and incorporates finance and technology education.
Ripple's college sports expansion began in July with an agreement with Kansas Athletics that put XRP branding on Jayhawk uniforms across the university's athletic program. Ripple described that deal as the first cryptocurrency sponsorship to appear on the jersey of a major college athletics program.
The sequence gives XRP several distinct forms of college sports exposure: uniforms at Kansas, football field branding at Florida, and permanent basketball court placement at Louisville.
Ripple's Broader University Strategy
The Louisville partnership reflects Ripple's multifaceted approach to university engagement. Through its University Blockchain Research Initiative, Ripple said in October 2025 that it had supported more than 60 universities worldwide and committed more than $80 million to academic research since 2018.
Ripple's $25 million U.S. education commitment has funded classroom projects nationwide, stipends for new teachers, and blockchain bootcamps at high schools. The company has also expanded partnerships with institutions including the University of San Francisco through more than $1.5 million in renewed partnerships funded in Ripple USD, alongside research and education projects covering blockchain technology, policy, and real-world applications.
