As the college sports sponsorship landscape continues to evolve, the sale of naming rights for major college conferences could prove to be an intriguing follow-up to the groundbreaking advent of NIL deals in 2021. With rumors swirling that Allstate is eyeing these rights for the Big 12 Conference, let’s explore how this prospect could potentially play out as another game-changing financial windfall for college athletics.

A major presence on the East Coast, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) looks like a prime target for financial and insurance giants in cities like Charlotte and Pittsburgh, for which the conference’s impressive reach and passionate fan base offer huge brand-building opportunities. Speaking of the Steel City, its PNC Bank leads banking brands in total sponsorships across the Power 5 schools and conferences with 11 deals, while Charlotte’s Truist ranks 4th with 7 sponsorships. Both would be clear candidates for this high-visibility partnership, as would Charlotte’s Bank of America, which could make its first big splash in college sports with a blockbuster naming rights deal. Another serious contender: State Farm, which partners with more than 50 Power 5 colleges and  has a major market presence in the southeastern US. 

Turning to the South, the Southeastern Conference (SEC), known for its fervent fans and age-old traditions, could attract brands with strong Southern ties––like Georgia-headquartered Chick-fil-A, which already partners with more than 25 colleges and would align perfectly with the SEC's quintessentially Southern DNA. Another potential partner is Nissan, which has sizable manufacturing operations in the South and over 35 college sponsorships. 

The Big Ten Conference, whose heartland roots stretch across the Midwest, looks like a natural fit for automotive giants like Ford or Toyota, which already boast nearly 40 and more than 25 Power 5 college sponsorships, respectively. The automotive industry has deep ties to the region, especially in Michigan and Ohio, making these brands a natural fit for the Big Ten. With nearly 45 Power 5 college sponsorships––including the NCAA, LSU Tigers, and Georgia Bulldogs––and arguably unrivaled brand equity, Coca-Cola also seems poised for a marquee naming rights deal as the next frontier in its sponsorship strategy.