The Big 12 added a Monster Energy logo to every playing surface and fans hated it

[ASFN Admin]

Ad placement is becoming increasingly commonplace in this new era of college sports. We've already seen schools like Ohio State and Kansas strike lucrative jersey ad deals. But only one conference has put a price on its actual logo, and the results are not great.

Back in July, the Big 12 struck a partnership deal with Monster Energy for $20 million per year that would include Monster's logo placement on uniform patches and playing surfaces alongside the Big 12 logo.

Immediately after the announcement, it seemed like an awful deal for the conference. Monster was going to get a ton of visibility for less per school than what Chase is paying Ohio State. It also could cause trouble for the several Pepsi schools in the Big 12 as Monster is a Coca Cola subsidiary. But again, ads are a part of sports now. So, we at least had to see what the Monster-Big 12 logo would actually look like.

And, well, it stinks.

New look to the floor at Fertitta Center. pic.twitter.com/0nmTt6Vnt3

— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) August 10, 2026

Instead of color matching the Monster logo with the individual school colors, the green logo was simply placed alongside a color-matched Big 12 logo over a black rectangle. It looked bad — distractingly bad.

Fans understandably mocked the Big 12 for selling out for such an ugly design.

How social media reacted​

This is abhorrent. https://t.co/PfbRgTiwlj

— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) August 10, 2026

This partnership just gets worse https://t.co/2aha7tGS84

— RC Maxfield (@RCMB323) August 10, 2026

Every Big 12 court having this in their paint is NASTY WORK.

One thing too have a leaguewide on court sponsor but the backdrop label is disgusting. https://t.co/QrYIfhGfj1

— Ryan Hammer (@ryanhammer09) August 10, 2026

The big 12 commissioner should be in JAIL https://t.co/SV06Q837Iy

— Official Ohio State DG (@DylanEveryday) August 10, 2026

Just the basketball floorspace alone on Houston, Kansas, Iowa State, Arizona etc should’ve cost Monster more than $20 million. It’s all you’re going to notice on these courts this season. https://t.co/osn0lRPOHr

— Chris Hassel (@Hassel_Chris) August 10, 2026

I was on a Big 12 campus yesterday and saw this in the flesh and it’s disgusting https://t.co/FCXYPkWGIM

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 10, 2026

That green doesn’t match well with everything. https://t.co/qZXaNnvuab

— Keith Murphy (@KeithMurphy) August 10, 2026

As a person who actually likes the branding fit with Monster and the Big 12… I Even don’t mind the football field logo.

But, with a logo THIS BIG - We should be getting paid 3-5 million a year, not 1. https://t.co/VWCWKJyRcr

— Howdy Harrell Eason (@FortressHouston) August 10, 2026

So some schools are getting $20M per year for just a jersey patch. Big 12 is getting $20M a year for jersey patches and court logos at 16 different schools???? The math ain’t matching https://t.co/l93AOqWGC4

— UConn Golf Hat (@UConn_GolfHat) August 10, 2026

Game is gone. https://t.co/jvOvbeyzvv

— Wall Street Johnal (@WSJohnal) August 10, 2026

How could they let this happen?

This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Big 12 added a Monster Energy logo to every playing surface and fans hated it

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