In this era of college sports, sponsorships are displayed widely across all venues and now jerseys. Tuesday, Tennessee Athletics announced that First Horizon Bank is the official jersey patch sponsor for Tennessee football and several Olympic sports. This partnership was facilitated in collaboration with the Vol Network, a division of Learfield, the multimedia rightsholder for Tennessee Athletics.
First Horizon has a partnership of 34 years with the University of Tennessee, as the Official Bank of the Vols. Other than football, volleyball, soccer, track and field, golf, tennis, cross country, swimming and diving, and rowing will also display the First Horizon patch. This partnership goes beyond that.
“For more than 30 years, First Horizon has been an indispensable partner to Tennessee Athletics, and we are proud to extend this remarkable collaboration,” said Tennessee vice chancellor and director of athletics Danny White. “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.”
“We are honored to deepen our partnership with Tennessee Athletics, an institution that embodies the pride, tradition, and drive,” said Bryan Jordan, chairman, president and CEO of First Horizon. “For more than three decades, we have celebrated alongside the Vols and invested in the growth of Tennessee students on and off the field. Becoming the official jersey patch sponsor across so many programs is a significant milestone that reflects our shared commitment to innovation, excellence, and opportunity. Our support extends throughout the University of Tennessee, reflecting our belief in the power of higher education. We look forward to continuing to empower students, just as we strive to support the aspirations of clients and communities every day.”
“First Horizon Bank is a valued partner with deep roots in Tennessee, and we’re proud to expand our relationship through this jersey patch partnership. This collaboration connects two iconic brands and creates a meaningful new platform to engage and celebrate Volunteer fans across the state and nationwide,” said Brandon Parks, vice president and general manager of the Vol Network.
The longtime Bank of the Vols is investing in helping student-athletes brand themselves, with the student-athlete influencer initiative. This will allow them to gain valuable experience in marketing and business development.
First Horizon will also have two premium entitlement areas within Neyland Stadium and Lindsey Nelson Stadium named in its honor: the First Horizon West Club and the First Horizon MVP Club.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, this is a 10-year jersey patch deal and will be worth more than $120 million over the life of the deal.
Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel is also excited about the partnership.
“First Horizon has been a loyal, dedicated local partner in supporting Tennessee Football. We are excited to expand this partnership by wearing a First Horizon jersey patch for many years to come. They will continue to support the future of our program with essential resources in this new landscape of college football.”
