Iconic Wisconsin brand to be showcased by Badger Football, Men’s Basketball and Men’s Hockey teams
MADISON, Wis. – Today, Wisconsin Athletics announced a groundbreaking sponsorship expansion with Culver’s, which will see the Wisconsin-based national restaurant brand become the first jersey patch sponsor of Badger Football, Men’s Basketball, and Men’s Hockey.
As two iconic brands rooted in the Badger State, the collaboration between Wisconsin and Culver’s spans more than a quarter century and now provides transformational resources to support the competitive success of Wisconsin Athletics and Badger student-athletes for years to come.
“There are few things more quintessentially Wisconsin than Culver’s. This partnership is a natural fit for our jersey sponsorship—it’s a beloved brand among Badgers and a longtime partner of Wisconsin Athletics,” said Deputy AD/Chief Revenue Officer Mitchell Pinta. “Beyond the sponsorship, Culver’s will play an active role in engaging and creating meaningful opportunities for our student-athletes.”
The comprehensive relationship between Wisconsin and Culver’s – facilitated by Learfield’s Badger Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for UW Athletics – goes far beyond gameday. Culver’s is the on-court logo partner at Wisconsin’s Kohl Center. Now, it also will create expansive opportunities for student-athletes to enhance engagement with the passionate Badger fanbase.
“We’ve always believed the best moments happen when friends and family come together over a meal at home, or in the restaurants, or in the stands cheering on their favorite team,” said Craig Culver, Culver’s co-founder. “From the field to the court to the ice, Culver’s is proud to stand beside these world-class student-athletes and to celebrate every moment right alongside the families and fans across Wisconsin who love them.”
Much like the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Badger Athletics, Culver’s delivers profound impact across the state of Wisconsin and beyond with millions in charitable giving through the Culver’s Foundation, Give Local, and Thank You Farmersâ Project.
“The Badgers and Culver’s are among the most recognizable brands in the state, but more importantly they share deeply paralleled commitments to serving the communities and people of Wisconsin,” said Scott Silvestri, Vice President & General Manager of Badger Sports Properties. “We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Culver’s and strengthen their impact on Wisconsin Athletics and the Badger family.”
The Culver’s jersey patch will make its debut on Badger Football uniforms in a memorable moment throughout the state as Wisconsin opens the season against Notre Dame on Sunday, Sep. 6 at Lambeau Field.
About Wisconsin Athletics
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison provides student-athletes opportunities to excel, and thereby advance their athletic, academic, and social development. Through its commitment to education, broad-based opportunity, and competitive excellence across its 23 Division 1 sport programs, UW Athletics is elevating the lives of our student-athletes, each other and people in the university community. For further information, visit: http://UWBadgers.com.
About Culver’s
For over 40 years, Culver’s guests have been treated to cooked-to-order food made with farm-fresh ingredients and served with a smile. The ever-expanding franchise system now numbers over 1,050 family-owned and operated restaurants in 26 states. The restaurants’ nationally recognized customer service is based on small-town, Midwestern values, genuine friendliness and an unwavering commitment to quality. Signature items include the award-winning ButterBurger, made from fresh, never frozen beef, and Fresh Frozen Custard, including the famous Flavor of the Day program. For more information, visit www.culvers.com or connect with Culver’s on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.