XRP received fresh mainstream attention on Sept. 7 after the Kansas Jayhawks football program shared a video featuring the cryptocurrency following its 51-6 win over Long Island University.
The XRP branding was part of Kansas’ existing partnership with Ripple, which was signed in July. The deal includes XRP patches on uniforms across Kansas Athletics.
Kansas opened the 2026 season with a dominant performance, improving to 1-0. The Jayhawks produced 613 total yards while holding Long Island to just 146 yards.
Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall completed 14 of 19 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 49 yards as Kansas took a 30-0 lead into halftime.
Running back Yasin Willis added 72 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Nik McMillan caught six passes for 130 yards and one touchdown.
While XRP appeared prominently in Kansas’ social media coverage of the game, there is no evidence that the football result had any effect on XRP’s price or activity on the XRP Ledger.
Kansas announced its multi-year partnership with Ripple on July 8. Under the agreement, XRP patches will appear on uniforms across all Kansas Athletics teams.
Kansas described the deal as the first time a cryptocurrency has been integrated into the jerseys of a major college athletics program. The university did not reveal the financial terms of the agreement.
The partnership goes beyond branding. Kansas and Ripple also plan to provide financial and technology education for student-athletes and members of the university community. The programs are expected to cover traditional finance, digital assets and blockchain technology.
The two sides also plan to create career opportunities connecting Kansas graduates with the technology industry.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is a University of Kansas alumnus and grew up in Topeka. That gives the partnership a direct connection to both the university and the state.
Still, Kansas has not said that its athletes will receive XRP, use the XRP Ledger or promote cryptocurrency investments. The confirmed agreement focuses on branding, education and career development.
Kansas also launched the Rock Chalk Fan Club on Sept. 2 as part of its digital engagement efforts. The university describes the community as being supported by XRP.
The fan club provides members with access to exclusive content, merchandise opportunities and other benefits. Kansas has not said that members need cryptocurrency or an XRP wallet to participate.
The XRP branding also does not mean Kansas has started accepting XRP for tickets, merchandise, concessions or donations. The university has not confirmed any such payment options.
The partnership does, however, put XRP in front of a much wider audience. College sports reaches students, alumni, television viewers and fans who may have little connection to the cryptocurrency industry.
Ripple is also expanding its sports strategy beyond Kansas.
On Sept. 4, the company announced another multi-year partnership with Florida Athletics. Under that agreement, the XRP logo appears at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, along with branding across Florida Athletics’ digital platforms, event signs and other promotional areas.
Florida Athletics also said Ripple will support financial and technology education for student-athletes and members of the campus community.
The Kansas and Florida deals use different forms of XRP branding. Kansas is placing XRP patches on uniforms across its athletics program, while Florida is featuring the logo on its football field, signs and digital channels.
Neither university has disclosed the financial value of its partnership with Ripple. Ripple also has not said whether it plans to add more college sports partners during the 2026 season.
Kansas will face Missouri on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. Central Time. The game could give the XRP-branded uniforms another high-profile appearance.
XRP was trading around $1.38 on Sept. 8, down about 2% over the previous 24 hours. There is no verified evidence connecting that move to Kansas’ video, its opening-game victory or Ripple’s college sports partnerships.
