If you think the top ACC program is still living in the ‘football first, business later’ era, you haven’t met Michael Drake. This genius has been closing $175 million naming rights deals and running the commercial show at mega-stadiums like Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta and Levi’s in San Francisco, and more. And as of January 2025, he’s steering this top college into a bold new frontier, which is the business of college sports in NIL style in the footsteps of LSU. 

On July 2, Clemson insider Jon Blau posted an interesting message on X to a shared post by On3 which read, “LSU plans to sell jersey patch advertisements, pending NCAA approval.” In his own words, he added, “Spoke with Clemson Ventures CEO Michael Drake on this topic. He said Clemson is ‘open for business’ on jersey patches, though they haven’t gone deep into talks with sponsors. NCAA hasn’t approved yet. Not sure many schools will pass on this revenue source when it’s approved.” The CEO has a plan, and it’s to build to become an enviable program run by Dabo Swinney and others.

Michael Drake is aware of the intangibles that could creep up along the way. “We might make a few mistakes,” Drake told The Post and Courier. “But we’re going to get really smart before everybody else gets in this game, and be the leaders and create something that people are going to follow, and I think will be envied.” Clemson isn’t waiting for the rest of college football to wake up. It’s already laying the concrete, fully controlling all of its property. Unlike LSU and most other schools, the thing that gives Clemson the edge is that their media rights aren’t tied up with Learfield or JMI. 

Clemson Athletic Properties (CAPCO) has had the autonomy to ink deals directly since 2021. Now, CAPCO has evolved into Clemson Ventures, the powerhouse that’s eyeing not just jersey patches but full-scale corporate immersion. “Naming rights of fields, jersey patches, naming rights of arenas — we are open for business in all of those spaces,” Drake added. Frank Howard Field is becoming State Farm Stadium Southeast anytime soon. But you better believe that where there’s a dollar to be made, Michael Drake’s ready to squeeze it. And LSU just laid down the blueprint. 

LSU is hoping for NCAA approval on jersey patch ads

Brian Kelly’s LSU is the model for Clemson, at least in the jersey patch initiative. As per The Advocate, “LSU has mapped out where the patches would go on every jersey, from cross country to football. Most of them would appear on the chest in purple and gold.” LSU’s also crossing its fingers that the NCAA greenlights jersey patch sales across the board. If that happens, they’re looking at pulling in millions every year. Safe to say, you’ll be seeing a whole lot of purple, gold, and maybe a Capital One logo tagging along for the ride.

This isn’t just SEC greed gone wild. The NCAA has already green-lit field logos with some fetching $2.5 million per placement. So why not the jersey too? Even the ever-conservative SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is softening. “We’ve had jersey patches in bowl games,” he said. “I would anticipate there’s going to be a continuing push (for new revenues), and we’re going to have to come to some agreement in this new environment on where those limits exist.” Michael Drake agrees, and he’s thinking even bigger. Clemson has more than just brand value, it has leverage. Want naming rights? Better be ready to collaborate across academics, athletics, and the alumni network. 

If Playfly can guarantee Texas A&M $34 million a year, Drake pointed out, “There’s no reason we shouldn’t have goals to be in that realmor more.” Clemson may not be in Times Square, but their brand travels. And with NCAA doors slowly cracking open, Clemson’s open for business and is ready to pounce.