The Big 12, the US collegiate sports conference, has announced a new multi-year naming rights agreement with energy drinks brand Monster Energy covering its American football and basketball regular seasons.
Under the deal, the Big 12’s American football regular season will be renamed Monster Energy Big 12 Football, while the conference’s men’s and women’s basketball seasons will be rebranded Monster Energy Big 12 Basketball.
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As part of the agreement, a co-branded Monster Energy and Big 12 logo will feature on the jerseys of the American football and basketball teams, as well as on playing fields and courts, while Monster Energy will also gain increased branding across the conference’s digital and social media channels.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormack said: “This is an important partnership for the Big 12 as we continue to grow our commercial business. Monster Energy is a global, culturally relevant brand that aligns with who we are and where we’re going. Together, we will bring the Big 12 to new audiences, expand our reach, and deliver innovative experiences for our fans.”
The agreement builds on the pair’s original partnership, which saw Monster Energy named the Big 12’s official energy drink last year, while also serving as the official title sponsor for the conference’s 2026 Football and Basketball Media Days.
The new deal comes three months after the Big 12 finalized its capital injection agreement with private equity company RedBird and investment firm Weatherford Capital, bringing at least $12.5 million to the conference.
The deal consists of three elements: providing a capital injection of at least $12.5 million to the league's front office to drive commercial development and business growth; offering schools an opt-in capital credit line of $30 million each; and creating a partnership that will see RedBird help secure additional revenue streams such as sponsorships and future media rights.
Additionally, the deal includes a non-compete clause, with RedBird agreeing not to partner with any other collegiate conferences in a commercial development way.
The tie-up has been positioned as an opt-in capital solution rather than a private equity agreement, meaning neither RedBird nor Weatherford Capital will be taking any stake or equity holding in the property.
Meanwhile, the deal adds to Monster Energy’s extensive list of sports partnerships, most recently securing an expanded agreement with the Australian Football League and its AFLW affiliate women’s league.
The brand is active in motorsports through Formula 1 team McLaren and the MotoGP motorcycling series and has a long-standing partnership with mixed martial arts’ UFC.
It also has a wide presence within English soccer after securing deals with Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Everton, Southampton, West Ham, Watford, and Leicester City.
Other partnerships include the UCI Mountain Bike World Series, the Big3 basketball league, and Supercross’ SMX World Championship series.
