A throwback jersey has one job: look like the old one. Kansas basketball released a cream throwback on Sunday honoring its 1952 national championship team, with an arched red KANSAS, red and blue trim and a gold NCAA trophy tag inside the collar. Then it put a Monster Energy patch on the chest.
That patch is the problem with throwbacks in 2026. Sponsor patches are everywhere now, and they don't belong on a jersey whose whole point is to look like it came from another decade. Our take is simple: throwbacks should be patch-free.
Quick Answers
- What patch is on the Kansas throwback? The Big 12 conference patch with Monster Energy branding, a black badge with the green Monster claw next to the Big XII logo. There is also an XRP sponsor patch near the other shoulder.
- Which leagues have sponsor patches on jerseys? The NBA (since 2017-18), the NHL (since 2022-23), MLB (since 2023) and now college sports. The NFL still does not allow jersey ads.
- Our take: sponsor patches should come off for throwback and classic nights.
The Kansas Example
Photo: Kansas Men's Basketball
Everything about the Kansas jersey is built to look old. The base is cream, not bright white. The lettering is the arched block style teams wore in the '50s. The shorts have barber-pole stripes down the sides. Even the gold trophy tag is hidden inside the collar so it doesn't break the look.
Then there is a black square with a neon green energy-drink logo on the chest. It is the first thing you see, and it is the one thing that could never have been on a 1952 jersey. We graded the uniform a B. Lose the patch and it is a lot closer to an A.
Patches Are Everywhere Now
Kansas is not alone, and this is only going to get more common.
- NBA: teams have sold a jersey patch since the 2017-18 season. It sits on the front of the jersey near the shoulder.
- MLB: sleeve patches arrived in 2023, and many teams have one.
- NHL: jersey ad patches started in 2022-23.
- College: sponsor patches are new in college sports. Arkansas announced a deal with Tyson Foods in March that puts the Tyson logo on the jerseys of all 19 Razorback teams, and Cal added a jersey sponsor this summer. Conference patches like the Big 12's now carry sponsors too.
- NFL: still no jersey ads. It is the last big league without them.
On a modern jersey, a patch is easy to tune out. The design was built around it. A throwback was designed decades before anyone sold that spot, so the patch has nowhere to hide.
Why It Matters
Throwbacks are the jerseys fans love most. They sell well, they bring back memories, and teams save them for big nights. The whole appeal is that they look like the real thing. Put a modern ad on one and it stops looking like history and starts looking like a costume of it.
It is not hard to fix. A simple rule would do it: no sponsor patches on throwback or classic nights. The sponsor still gets every other game of the season.
What Do You Think?
Are sponsor patches on throwbacks a big deal, or are we overreacting about a few square inches of fabric? We think the Kansas jersey shows exactly why it matters. More throwback looks are in our Classic Edition rankings and what would happen if every college football team wore its throwback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a Monster Energy patch on the Kansas jersey?
It is the Big 12 conference patch, which carries Monster Energy branding. Kansas plays in the Big 12, so the patch is on its uniforms, including the 1952 throwback.
When did the NBA start putting ads on jerseys?
In the 2017-18 season. Each team sells a patch that sits on the front of the jersey near the shoulder.
Does the NFL have ads on jerseys?
No. The NFL is the last of the big four North American leagues without sponsor patches on game jerseys.
When did MLB and the NHL add jersey patches?
MLB allowed sleeve sponsor patches starting in 2023. The NHL added jersey ad patches starting in the 2022-23 season.
Do college teams have sponsor patches on jerseys?
Yes, and it is new. Arkansas has a Tyson Foods patch on all of its teams' jerseys, Cal added a jersey sponsor, and Big 12 teams wear a conference patch with Monster Energy branding.
Should throwback jerseys have sponsor patches?
We say no. A throwback is supposed to look like the original, and a modern ad on the chest breaks that. Teams could leave the patch off for throwback nights and keep it for every other game.
