Austin Startup Born at UT Just Took Prime Space on Longhorn Field

Beginning with the Longhorns Sept. 6 home-opener against San Jose State, Humann’s logo will appear on the football field, with placements eventually spreading across nearly every athletic venue on campus, from the Moody Center to the Texas Tennis Center.

Chris Del Conte Balances Tradition With Business

Athletic director Chris Del Conte framed the deal not as a sellout, but as an extension of the Longhorn story. “If we were going to make the decision to put a brand on our fields, courts and across all our athletics venues, it had to have an incredible story of The University of Texas,” he said.

That story traces back to Nobel Prize-winning research at UT Health Science Center, where Humann was born before becoming a national brand specializing in cardiovascular health.

Longhorn athletes have used the company’s products for over a decade, fueling what Humann CEO Joel Kocher says helped power more than 20 national titles.

But the real story isn’t just about supplements—it’s about money. Less than a year ago, Del Conte told reporters that Texas wasn’t ready to embrace on-field ads, calling himself a traditionalist.

Yet in the post-House era, where schools face growing financial pressures from athlete revenue sharing and rising competition in the SEC, even Texas couldn’t ignore the business opportunity.

The Longhorns aren’t alone. Auburn just partnered with YellaWood. Indiana inked a 20-year, $50 million sponsorship with Merchants Bank. Six SEC programs, including Tennessee and Arkansas, will display on-field signage this fall.

For some fans, it’s a minor change. For others, it’s another sign that college sports are edging closer to the professional model.

For Texas, the deal with Humann may prove to be one of the most lucrative in the nation. And while some may bristle at the sight of a logo on the 50-yard line, the reality is clear: tradition doesn’t pay the bills. Corporate partnerships do.