Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Athletics, Marshall Health Network Announce All-Sport Jersey Patch Partnership Through Learfield
5/1/2026 8:10:00 AM | Baseball, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Soccer, Women's Basketball
Five-year agreement marks first of its kind in Sun Belt Conference, Marshall Athletics history
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Athletics and Marshall Health Network have announced a five-year partnership through Learfield that will provide an all-sport jersey patch on every Marshall Athletics uniform, beginning with the 2026-27 athletic seasons.
The agreement marks the first all-sport jersey patch partnership in the Sun Belt Conference and the first in Marshall Athletics history, signaling a new level of collaboration between the university's athletics program and its academic health system.
"This agreement shows the commitment of Marshall Health Network to Marshall University and Marshall Athletics, and having it as the first of its kind in the Sun Belt Conference solidifies the importance of the relationship between Marshall Athletics, the greater Huntington community and Herd Nation," said Gerald J. Harrison, Marshall's Vice President and Director of Athletics.
On the national scale, Marshall Athletics' landmark deal with Marshall Health is only the fourth all-sport jersey patch deal in the country as the Herd joins Arkansas, LSU and Memphis as other schools with an all-sports patch. The deal is also only the 11th jersey patch agreement finalized since the NCAA passed legislation allowing for jersey patches in January.
Marshall Health Network has long supported Marshall Athletics through partnerships such as the Marshall Sports Medicine Institute and its presenting sponsorship of Marshall Women's Athletics. The health system also leads Marshall's athletic training program in collaboration with the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, creating an independent, patient-centered model of care that prioritizes the health and well-being of Marshall student-athletes. The all-sport jersey patch partnership builds on that foundation with revenue generated from the patches directly benefiting student-athletes across all programs.
"As an academic health system, we are honored to take care of the Herd – supporting the health, performance and well-being of Marshall student-athletes across every sport," said Scott Raynes, president & CEO of Marshall Health Network. "This collaboration reflects our mission to advance health, inspire hope and serve you. We're proud to stand alongside the Thundering Herd, united by the determination and work ethic that define our student-athletes, our care teams and the communities we serve."
Starting in August, the Marshall Health Network logo will appear on the uniforms of all sponsored NCAA Division I men's and women's sports teams that represent the Thundering Herd.
The recently-approved jersey patch opportunities arrive at a pivotal time for Marshall Athletics with the Thundering Herd's national football presence growing at a rapid rate, reaching 22 million-plus TV viewers over the past three years.
During that timeframe, Marshall's athletic success on the national landscape includes being the 2024 NCAA College Cup Finalist in Men's Soccer, the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Football Champion, the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Champion and NCAA Tournament participant, a current 2026 NCAA Top 25 Softball Program and the 2026 WNIT Champion in Women's Basketball.
In addition to the jersey patch sponsorship, Marshall Health Network will serve as the Official Health Care Provider of Marshall Athletics.
"As the region's leading health network, Marshall Health Network's investment in the Huntington community and region made them the right fit for this impactful partnership with the Thundering Herd," said Will Smith, General Manager of Thundering Herd Sports Properties. "Learfield exists to build comprehensive partnerships that bring jersey visibility, NIL opportunities, digital activations and fan engagement all together, creating lasting value for our university partners and the brands that invest in them. We're thrilled to bring a partnership of this scope to Marshall and look forward to seeing it come to life across every sport."
Thundering Herd Sports Properties is the locally-based Learfield team that is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Marshall Athletics and oversees all sponsorship agreements on behalf of the Herd.
About Marshall Health Network
Marshall Health Network (MHN) is a leading academic health system dedicated to advancing health, inspiring hope and serving families across West Virginia, southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky. MHN unites four hospitals – Cabell Huntington Hospital, St. Mary's Medical Center, Hoops Family Children's Hospital and Rivers Health – along with a comprehensive network of primary and specialty services through Marshall Health. In partnership with the Marshall University schools of medicine, nursing and pharmacy, and the St. Mary's schools of medical imaging, nursing, respiratory care and sonography, MHN is committed to delivering clinical excellence, expanding access and providing compassionate care at every stage of life. Learn more at marshallhealthnetwork.org.
About Marshall Athletics
Marshall Athletics is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competing in Division I as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Marshall currently has 18 varsity sports with 10 women's sports and eight men's sports, providing academic and athletic opportunities to Marshall University for more than 500 student-athletes. Marshall Athletics has a tradition of academic and athletic excellence throughout its sports programs and takes pride in providing student-athletes with a championship experience on and off the field by remaining steadfast in the pillars of the 'Herd Mentality', which includes Honoring The Journey, Engaging With Purpose, Rising Through Innovation and Dedicating To Others.
About LearfieldÂ
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
For all the latest information about Marshall Athletics, follow @HerdZone on Twitter and Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
---HerdZone.com---
