Tennessee Athletics just loaded up the coffers for a decade, but some Vol fans might not like why
The Vols did what was inevitable, and they made a fortune in the process.
Tennessee Athletics just had a big day financially as the Vols’ 2026 football season is set to get underway.
The university announced that it has entered a 10-year sponsorship agreement with First Horizon Bank. The financial institution’s logo will appear on a patch on the jerseys of various men’s and women’s athletic programs, including the football jerseys.
According to ESPN insider Pete Thamel, the deal is massive financially, with the university to get over $120 over the life of the deal.
Tennessee to wear First Horizon Bank patches on uniforms on a 10-year, $120 million-plus deal
It was never a matter of if, but a matter of when Tennessee would announce they would add patches to their uniforms. Such is the world we live in now. Pilot has already been added to Neyland Stadium and its playing field. This was always going to come soon after.
Now, we know who it is, and with the institution’s presence in the East Tennessee area, it’s a logical choice. The bank has been the official bank of the Vols for the last 34 years.
“For more than 30 years, First Horizon has been an indispensable partner to Tennessee Athletics, and we are proud to extend this remarkable collaboration,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said in the university’s press release. “In this dynamic era of college athletics, we are confident in First Horizon’s ability to provide the resources and leadership needed to keep our programs competitive while safeguarding the integrity of our brand and uniforms. The First Horizon name is synonymous with excellence, vision, and a commitment to progress, values that mirror those of Tennessee Athletics.”
Of course, some fans won’t like that the patch is going where the Power T was before, and now the front of the jersey will have the First Horizon Bank logo, the SEC logo, and the Adidas logo with no Tennessee logo on it. But the Power T will remain on the helmet, and everyone knows who’s playing in said uniforms. In this writer’s opinion, that’s a fair tradeoff for a nine-figure deal.
Tennessee will get the first chance to show off those new patches on Saturday against Furman in the Vols’ season opener.
