From Regan Hunsaker, SUU Athletics
CEDAR CITY, Utah — Southern Utah University Athletics has announced a new partnership with Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance, placing the longtime sponsor’s logo on Thunderbirds uniforms as the department enters a new era of corporate sponsorship opportunities in college athletics.
Leavitt Group, in partnership with Auto-Owners Insurance, has committed to becoming an Official Jersey Patch Sponsor of Southern Utah Athletics, marking the first time a corporate partner’s logo will be featured as a commercial patch on Southern Utah uniforms.
The partnership follows a recent change to NCAA Division I rules allowing schools to place additional commercial logos on uniforms, apparel, and equipment during the preseason and regular season. The NCAA Division I Cabinet approved the change in January, with the new policy taking effect Aug. 1, 2026. Under the new rules, institutions may feature up to two additional commercial logos on uniforms and apparel, with each logo limited to four square inches.
Funaki Asisi, General Manager for Van Wagner, Southern Utah Athletics’ multimedia rights and corporate partnership partner, identified and facilitated the opportunity. Asisi worked with the department, Leavitt Group, and Auto-Owners Insurance to bring the new sponsorship opportunity to fruition as the NCAA opened the door for commercial jersey patches.
For Southern Utah, the opportunity to introduce the new uniform asset with the Leavitt Group logo was a natural fit.
“Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance have been an incredible partner of Southern Utah Athletics for many years, and we are excited to take this relationship to a new level,” said Athletics Director Myndee Kay Larsen. “As college athletics continues to evolve, partnerships like this provide meaningful opportunities for our department while also connecting our student-athletes, fans, and community with businesses that have consistently invested in the Thunderbirds. We are grateful to Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance for their continued commitment to Southern Utah.”
Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance have long supported Southern Utah Athletics, with their partnership extending across the department and into the Cedar City community. We are grateful for the continued investment in the Thunderbirds and their student-athletes, making Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance a fitting partner to introduce one of the newest sponsorship opportunities in college athletics.
“Leavitt Group is proud to continue our longstanding relationship with Southern Utah University and Thunderbirds Athletics,” said Eric Leavitt, executive chairman and CEO of Leavitt Group. “We have always believed in supporting the university, its student-athletes and the Southern Utah community. Having our brand represented on the Thunderbirds’ jerseys is an exciting next step in that partnership, and we are proud to be part of this new chapter.”
The Leavitt Group patch will be incorporated into Southern Utah’s uniforms beginning this Saturday as the Thunderbirds take on Montana in Missoula. The sponsorship provides prominent visibility across Thunderbirds Athletics while strengthening a partnership built over years of shared support.
The new sponsorship opportunity reflects a changing landscape in college athletics, as NCAA rules continue to give Division I institutions more flexibility to create new commercial partnerships and generate resources to invest back into their athletic programs and student-athletes.
“Southern Utah Athletics is fortunate to have partners who believe in what we are building,” said Larsen. “This partnership with Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance is about more than a logo on a jersey. It represents a shared commitment to Southern Utah, our student-athletes, and the future of Thunderbirds Athletics.”
The Leavitt Group patch will be featured on eligible Southern Utah Athletics uniforms throughout the 2026-27 season.
About Leavitt Group
Leavitt Group is one of the largest privately held insurance brokerages in the nation with a mission to build, serve, and perpetuate independent insurance agencies as partners with local co-owners. With an extensive network of 80+ agencies and 290+ locations across 31 states, Leavitt Group offers a distinctive advantage with local ownership, delivering a personalized and collaborative approach to commercial insurance, employee benefits, and personal insurance. With over 70 years in the insurance industry, Leavitt Group brings national strength and local trust to the communities and clients they serve. For more information about Leavitt Group, visit www.leavitt.com.
About Auto-Owners Insurance
Established in 1916 and one of the nation’s largest insurers, Auto-Owners believes in the “simple human sense” approach to insurance. The Company operates through nearly 50,000 independent agents across 26 states and has over 5 million auto, home, business and life insurance policies.
About Van Wagner
Van Wagner is a leading sports advertising and entertainment agency, with global expertise in live events, sponsorship sales, multimedia rights and aerial advertising. Van Wagner creates, advises and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands and properties. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the NCAA, MLB, NBA, and international soccer, as well as collegiate multimedia rights and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events. For more information, visit www.vanwagner.com.
Tickets
Single game and season tickets are now available, giving fans the chance to lock in their seats for an exciting new era in Cedar City. With the Thunderbirds’ return to the Big Sky, now is the time to secure your spot at Eccles Coliseum and be part of the action all season long. For more information and to purchase, visit tbirdtickets.com.
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