Louisville Athletics Announces Strategic Brand Partnership with Ripple Bringing XRP Cryptocurrency to Louisville Basketball
September 15, 2026 | General
LOUISVILLE, Ky – Louisville Athletics announced today a multi-year partnership with Ripple, the leading provider of blockchain-based enterprise solutions across traditional and digital finance, bringing XRP branding to Louisville Basketball beginning this season.
XRP is a cryptocurrency that's fast, credible and efficient. In use since 2012 and trusted by institutions worldwide, XRP was developed to move money around the world in seconds, at a fraction of the cost of traditional banking.
As part of the agreement, the XRP logo becomes a permanent fixture on Denny Crum Court for every Louisville home game — preserving the court's history alongside XRP branding across Louisville Men's and Women's Basketball. Coach Crum's iconic insignia will remain a permanent fixture on the playing surface inside the 3-point arc.
"Ripple was very intentional about aligning with premier basketball brands, and we're proud that Louisville was one of the programs they identified," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Josh Heird. "That speaks to the strength of our basketball tradition, the national reach of the Louisville brand and the passion of our fan base. As college athletics continues to evolve, we want to align with partners who recognize the value of what Louisville represents while respecting the history that helped build it. This partnership does both, and I'm especially proud that we're able to move forward in a new and innovative way while continuing to honor Coach Crum and the legacy of Denny Crum Court."
Beyond the court, XRP logos will appear on TV-visible courtside signage and additional in-venue branding and promotions throughout the KFC Yum! Center. The partnership also extends to Louisville's digital and social platforms, plus men's and women's basketball radio broadcasts, enhancing brand awareness within the Louisville fanbase and community.
Ripple will also support financial and technology education for University of Louisville student-athletes and the campus community, covering both traditional finance and digital assets.
"Louisville is among the most respected programs in college basketball, providing an extraordinary platform for brand partners to engage fans not only locally, but on a national scale," said Kim Damron, President of Sports Properties at Learfield. "We're proud to bring this innovative partnership to life with the Cardinals and to expand XRP's presence in the college sports landscape."
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About XRP
XRP is a leading cryptocurrency built for utility in modern finance. Designed for fast, low-cost money movement, it settles transactions in 3–5 seconds at a fraction of a cent, making it one of the most efficient assets for moving money globally. XRP operates on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), an open-source, decentralized blockchain and is used across financial use cases across payments, trading, collateral, and as a bridge currency between different currencies and markets.
Since its launch in 2012, XRP has grown into one of the top five largest cryptocurrencies held and used by individuals, institutions, developers, and businesses around the world.
About Ripple
Founded in 2012, Ripple is the leading provider of blockchain solutions rewiring the global financial system. With over 85 licenses, Ripple provides a single trusted entry point for enterprises with payments, custody, prime brokerage and treasury management solutions. Ripple's stablecoin, RLUSD, and the digital asset XRP underpin these capabilities, enabling Ripple and its customers to bridge the worlds of traditional and digital finance.
About Louisville Athletics
Louisville Athletics is the intercollegiate athletics program of the University of Louisville,
competing at the NCAA Division I level as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The
Cardinals sponsor 23 varsity sports and provide more than 600 student-athletes with
opportunities to compete at the highest level while pursuing academic and professional
development. With a strong presence across the Louisville community and a national profile
built through sustained competitive success, Louisville Athletics serves as a significant platform
for the University's brand, alumni engagement, corporate partnerships and community impact.
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.
Media Contacts
Louisville
Alyssa Sconzo
alyssa@gocards.com
Ripple
Megan Katz
press@ripple.com
Learfield
Kara Zoellner
kara.zoellner@learfield.com
XRP is a cryptocurrency that's fast, credible and efficient. In use since 2012 and trusted by institutions worldwide, XRP was developed to move money around the world in seconds, at a fraction of the cost of traditional banking.
As part of the agreement, the XRP logo becomes a permanent fixture on Denny Crum Court for every Louisville home game — preserving the court's history alongside XRP branding across Louisville Men's and Women's Basketball. Coach Crum's iconic insignia will remain a permanent fixture on the playing surface inside the 3-point arc.
"Ripple was very intentional about aligning with premier basketball brands, and we're proud that Louisville was one of the programs they identified," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Josh Heird. "That speaks to the strength of our basketball tradition, the national reach of the Louisville brand and the passion of our fan base. As college athletics continues to evolve, we want to align with partners who recognize the value of what Louisville represents while respecting the history that helped build it. This partnership does both, and I'm especially proud that we're able to move forward in a new and innovative way while continuing to honor Coach Crum and the legacy of Denny Crum Court."
Beyond the court, XRP logos will appear on TV-visible courtside signage and additional in-venue branding and promotions throughout the KFC Yum! Center. The partnership also extends to Louisville's digital and social platforms, plus men's and women's basketball radio broadcasts, enhancing brand awareness within the Louisville fanbase and community.
Ripple will also support financial and technology education for University of Louisville student-athletes and the campus community, covering both traditional finance and digital assets.
"Louisville is among the most respected programs in college basketball, providing an extraordinary platform for brand partners to engage fans not only locally, but on a national scale," said Kim Damron, President of Sports Properties at Learfield. "We're proud to bring this innovative partnership to life with the Cardinals and to expand XRP's presence in the college sports landscape."
+++
About XRP
XRP is a leading cryptocurrency built for utility in modern finance. Designed for fast, low-cost money movement, it settles transactions in 3–5 seconds at a fraction of a cent, making it one of the most efficient assets for moving money globally. XRP operates on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), an open-source, decentralized blockchain and is used across financial use cases across payments, trading, collateral, and as a bridge currency between different currencies and markets.
Since its launch in 2012, XRP has grown into one of the top five largest cryptocurrencies held and used by individuals, institutions, developers, and businesses around the world.
About Ripple
Founded in 2012, Ripple is the leading provider of blockchain solutions rewiring the global financial system. With over 85 licenses, Ripple provides a single trusted entry point for enterprises with payments, custody, prime brokerage and treasury management solutions. Ripple's stablecoin, RLUSD, and the digital asset XRP underpin these capabilities, enabling Ripple and its customers to bridge the worlds of traditional and digital finance.
About Louisville Athletics
Louisville Athletics is the intercollegiate athletics program of the University of Louisville,
competing at the NCAA Division I level as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The
Cardinals sponsor 23 varsity sports and provide more than 600 student-athletes with
opportunities to compete at the highest level while pursuing academic and professional
development. With a strong presence across the Louisville community and a national profile
built through sustained competitive success, Louisville Athletics serves as a significant platform
for the University's brand, alumni engagement, corporate partnerships and community impact.
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.
Media Contacts
Louisville
Alyssa Sconzo
alyssa@gocards.com
Ripple
Megan Katz
press@ripple.com
Learfield
Kara Zoellner
kara.zoellner@learfield.com
Monday, September 14
Monday, September 14
Monday, September 14
Monday, September 14
