Indiana and Purdue basketball fans will see a new name on the hardwood this season: Eli Lilly and Company. The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant has struck a multiyear partnership with both schools' athletic departments to place its logo directly on the basketball courts at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington and Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, a deal announced Friday.
According to iuhoosiers.com, the agreement marks Lilly's first full sports sponsorship in college athletics and makes it the first corporate brand featured on the basketball courts of both Purdue and Indiana. The announcement was made jointly by Lilly, Indiana Athletics, Purdue Athletics and Learfield. Per the IndyStar, Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson said Lilly is a fitting partner for the iconic venue and that its commitment aligns with the university's mission.
Indiana men's basketball shared video of workers painting the Lilly logo onto the Assembly Hall floor on Friday morning, giving fans an early look ahead of the new season. An Indiana Daily Student report describes exactly where the branding will land, noting Lilly's logo will appear in red lettering near midcourt and on the sidelines opposite the Assembly Hall logos, according to idsnews.com. The same outlet reports Lilly's branding will also appear on Purdue's Keady Court inside Mackey Arena, giving the company a presence on both programs' home floors.
What Lilly Gets Out of the Deal
Beyond the visual branding, the partnership is designed to build Lilly's connections with the next generation of talent. The deal is meant to promote Lilly career opportunities and strengthen recruiting ties with students and graduates from Indiana and Purdue, per the iuhoosiers.com announcement. Lilly will also gain year-round visibility and engagement opportunities across both athletic departments through integrated sponsorship activations, the same release states.
The partnership builds on a relationship that predates either school's current athletic branding push by generations. Lilly has maintained ties with Purdue for more than 120 years and with Indiana for more than 60 years, primarily centered on medical research and academic opportunities, according to ipm.org. Financial terms of the new court sponsorship were not disclosed, the Indiana Daily Student reported.
Part of a Broader Wave in College Hoops
Indiana and Purdue's agreement places Lilly branding on both schools' basketball courts. The logos will appear on floors used by both schools' men's and women's basketball teams.
The Lilly arrangement also follows Indiana's push into stadium and jersey sponsorships. Indiana Athletics previously added Merchants Bank as its football field sponsor in a deal worth $50 million over 20 years, per the IndyStar. For comparison, that report also noted Washington secured a 10-year, $41 million field-naming deal with Alaska Airlines, and Penn State landed a $50 million field-naming agreement with a Pennsylvania home remodeling company.
Why Athletic Departments Are Chasing These Deals
Sponsorship revenue like this has become increasingly important as schools absorb new costs tied to paying athletes directly. Indiana Athletics has committed to fully funding its revenue-sharing expenses, which exceeded $21 million this year and are expected to increase at least 4% annually, according to the IndyStar's reporting on the Lilly deal. A separate IndyStar report on Purdue's sponsorship described revenue-sharing payments to athletes as a significant new line item in athletic department budgets.
The federal government has also weighed in on the scale of these obligations. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has reported that, under the House settlement, Division I colleges can share up to $20.5 million of revenue with student-athletes starting with the 2025-26 academic year.
Fans will get their first look at the new court branding in game action soon. Indiana men's basketball opens its season against Eastern Illinois on Monday night, with the women's team following a day later against Florida Gulf Coast, according to idsnews.com.
