Ripple expands college sports push with XRP partnership at Florida

Florida Athletics has announced a multi-year partnership with Ripple that will bring XRP branding beginning with the 2026 football season. The XRP logo will be featured prominently on the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, as well as across Florida Athletics’ digital properties and event signage.

Beyond branding, Ripple will support financial and technology education for Florida student-athletes and the broader campus community, covering both traditional finance and digital assets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The University of Florida's Athletics Director Scott Stricklin said the partnership reflects the university’s history of embracing innovation and aims to introduce XRP to one of college sports’ largest and most passionate fan bases.

"Florida has a long history of embracing innovation and technology to enhance the experience of our fans and advance our programs," Stricklin said in a statement. "Ripple has established itself as an innovative leader in financial technology, and we're excited to welcome XRP to Gator Nation."

XRP (XRP) is the native cryptocurrency of the XRP Ledger. Ripple, founded in 2012, provides blockchain-based financial services, including payments, custody, prime brokerage, and treasury management, with XRP and its RLUSD stablecoin underpinning its offerings.

Earlier this summer, Ripple became the Kansas Jayhawks' sports sponsor, with an XRP patch to appear on jerseys. The first time a cryptocurrency will be displayed on the jerseys of a major collegiate sports program. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is a Kansas alum.

Florida competes in the Southeastern Conference and supports 21 teams and more than 500 student-athletes, according to the press release. The school has won 49 national championships across 16 sports.

Most notably, its football team won national championships in 1996, 2006, and 2008 and is typically one of the most popular teams in the SEC and NCAA.