Ripple has signed a five-year sponsorship deal with the University of Kansas athletics department. The partnership designates XRP as the official cryptocurrency of Kansas Athletics and will feature the XRP logo on uniforms for all sports teams, including football and basketball.
The agreement also includes funding for education programs focused on traditional finance and digital assets for student-athletes, which will extend to the broader campus community. Ripple aims to connect University of Kansas graduates with careers in the technology sector.
University of Kansas athletic director Travis Goff called it a time when innovative partnerships are needed in college sports. Head coach Bill Self said he would help players understand the meaning behind the partnership and its potential benefits.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, an alumnus of the university, tweeted that the deal was 'a rare moment where my professional and personal worlds collide.' The University of Kansas already operates an XRP Ledger validator through its school of engineering.