Progressive Insurance has announced sponsorship deals with 12 major athletics departments that partner with Learfield to have significant presence at football games this season.
As reported by NBC affiliate KCBD in Lubbock, Texas, the 13 schools include Texas Tech, Boise State, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Ole Miss, Oregon, Purdue, SMU, Syracuse, Kansas State, USC and Wake Forest. Progressive’s presence will include in-game video board features, in-venue LED signage, digital and social media integrations, and other gameday elements such as field logos.
At Boise State, Progressive's logo will share midfield with the traditional blue-and-orange Bronco head logo.
"The giant blue and orange Bronco head emblazoned at the center of Albertsons Stadium will no longer sit alone," wrote Shaun Goodwin of the Idaho Statesman. "Boise State Athletics announced a sponsorship with Progressive Insurance on Tuesday afternoon, which will see the company’s logo positioned right beneath the head on the brand-new blue turf."
This comes on the heels of Boise State reporting an $18 million athletics budget deficit.
Related: Boise State Faces $18M Budget Deficit Due to Revenue Sharing, Move to Pac-12
The Progressive logo will be joined on Boise State’s iconic blue turf by a pair of all-white Pac-12 logos and two Albertsons Stadium logos, Goodwin added, writing, "Fans will get their first glimpse of the new sponsorship deal when Boise State hosts Memphis on Sept. 12, which is the second game of the season."
It's not clear if Progressive's logo will enjoy such prominent positioning on the fields of the dozen other schools mentioned in the sponsorship push. Boise State represents the only non-Power Four school on the list.
"We are grateful to Progressive Insurance for believing in Boise State and investing in this new sponsorship," said Boise State director of athletics Jeramiah Dickey, per the department's official announcement Tuesday. "It takes a TEAM, and integrating Progressive in an intentional and strategic way on The Blue was important to all of those involved. This is about making an investment in the future of our student-athletes and Boise State Athletics. We are never a finished product, and we will continue to look for opportunities that position the Broncos for long-term success. We also appreciate Bronco Sport Properties and Learfield for helping bring this sponsorship together. What's Next!"
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Boise State's initial installation of its signature blue synthetic turf, with the seventh iteration installed for this season.
“Sponsorships like this are an important part of creating a sustainable future for Boise State Athletics,” added Landon Day, vice president and general manager of Bronco Sports Properties. “Progressive’s investment provides Boise State with additional resources to continue elevating the game-day experience for Bronco Nation while supporting the department’s long-term growth.”
The university "refused" to release the dollar amount tied to the sponsorship, Goodwin reported.
"College football is about more than what happens on game day – it reflects the pride, tradition and community that defines Boise State and we're proud to support the student-athletes, alumni and fans who help make this program so special," said Sean Freeman, media business leader at Progressive, per the BSU announcement. "We're thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of game days with this historic fanbase."
In a separate Statesman article this week, Goodwin reported that Boise State earned $589,116 from its appearance as part of the EA Sports College Football 25 video game, with proceeds applied to the fiscal year 2025 spanning July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. Boise State Athletics spokesperson Chris Kutz told the Statesman that all of it went toward the department’s overall operating budget. The report for fiscal year 2026, which ended June 30 this year, and its associated revenues were unavailable upon request, according to Goodwin.
