University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Athletics and UPMC Announce Expanded Partnership Across Football, Women's Sports, and Victory Heights
8/27/2026 9:57:00 AM | Cross Country, Football, General, Softball, Swimming & Diving, Women's Basketball, Women's Gymnastics, Women's Soccer, Volleyball, Track & Field, Women's Track & Field, Women's Lacrosse
Agreement places a UPMC patch on Pitt Football jerseys, names UPMC Presenting Sponsor of Panther Women's Sports, and brings UPMC signage to new Victory Heights Arena & Sports Performance Center.
PITTSBURGH - Pitt Athletics and its multimedia rights holder JMI Sports, today announced a multiyear expansion of its longstanding partnership with UPMC to include three core components: a UPMC patch on Pitt Football jerseys, Presenting Sponsor status of Panther Women's Sports - to include a comprehensive women's health platform - and premium signage opportunities at the new Victory Heights Sports Performance Center and Arena, which opened earlier this month.
The UPMC jersey patch for Pitt Football marks the first agreement of its kind announced at Pitt and will debut at the season opener on Saturday, September 5 vs. Miami (Ohio) at Pitt's own Acrisure Stadium.
"UPMC is one of the most respected names in health care, with a global impact on medicine, research and patient care," Pitt Director of Athletics C. Allen Greene said. "They're a pillar in our community and there's not a brand more ingrained with Pitt Athletics. That made them a natural choice for our first jersey patch partner. This partnership goes well beyond a transaction. It reflects two institutions equally committed to the health and success of our region. We're equally excited about UPMC becoming the presenting sponsor of women's sports. It gives our student-athletes a unique platform to work alongside UPMC's physicians and health care providers in promoting women's health and wellness across our region."
The expanded agreement builds on a longstanding relationship between Pitt Athletics and UPMC, which has served as the University's Official Health Care Provider and a Lead Partner across Pitt Athletics since 1986, when the late Dr. Freddie Fu founded Pitt's renowned sports medicine program.
The expansion continues to strengthen the pillars on which the partnership was founded by also becoming the Presenting Sponsor of Panther Women's Sports, which will include the creation of an interactive platform for promoting women's health through community educational programs and activities such as health screenings, fairs and awareness campaigns that will feature Pitt women student-athletes as role models and influencers.
"We are thrilled with this opportunity to continue supporting the health and well-being of Pitt student-athletes and the halo effect it has on our greater community," said MaCalus Hogan, MD, MBA, chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Pitt and UPMC Sports Medicine. "The exciting and unique partnership between Pitt women student-athletes and UPMC women's health experts will allow us to combine the athlete experience and storytelling with a focus on important health initiatives and programming that we hope will positively impact women across our region." Beyond sports medicine, topics will include women's heart health, mental health, diseases prevention and more.
JMI Sports – operating locally as Pitt Sports Marketing – worked in collaboration with Pitt Athletics on the expansion of this agreement with UPMC, with the goal of elevating the partnership framework to include new multimedia assets that reflect the industry-leading innovation taking place across the athletic department. As such, the expanded partnership includes UPMC branding inside the new Victory Heights Arena and its Sports Performance Center, both of which opened August 13.
"UPMC is already woven into the fabric of Pitt, which makes this next chapter of our partnership especially important," said Paul Archey, President at JMI Sports. "Having a Pittsburgh-based company featured across assets of this scale and visibility is a powerful reflection of a best-in-class partner, with an organic connection to the program and university. We are excited by their ambition to grow alongside us and take advantage of new partnership opportunities as the industry changes."
ABOUT PITT ATHLETICS
The University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics sponsors 19 varsity sports and is a proud member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Committed to excellence in competition, academics and community, Pitt Athletics develops student-athletes who compete at the highest level while preparing them for success beyond sport. For more information, visit pittsburghpanthers.com.
ABOUT JMI SPORTS
JMI Sports is a leading media rights and venue development company that provides management of collegiate multimedia rights, sponsorship sales agency representation, and project management expertise for the development of collegiate and professional sports facilities. The company serves to maximize each client's economic potential through customized initiatives, from marketing and branding solutions to facility design strategies.
JMI Sports' signature collegiate multimedia rights partnerships include the University of Kentucky, UCLA, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, Harvard University, Columbia University, San Diego State University, University of California at San Diego, University of San Diego, and joint-venture properties at the University of Georgia (with Learfield) and University of Notre Dame (with Legends). JMI Sports also represents multimedia rights for several conferences, including the Ivy League, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Patriot League, and the Atlantic 10, and serves as third-party sales representation for premier sports properties, venues, and events including Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, the Rose Bowl, the Penn Relays, and USA Volleyball.
JMI Sports was founded in 2006 by CEO Erik Judson and technology entrepreneur John Moores, former owner of the San Diego Padres. To learn more, please visit www.jmisports.com.
ABOUT UPMC
UPMC is a world-renowned, non-profit health care provider and insurer committed to delivering exceptional, people-centered care and community services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh and affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC is shaping the future of health through clinical and technological innovation, research, and education. Dedicated to advancing the well-being of our diverse communities, we provide $2 billion annually in community benefits, more than any other health system in Pennsylvania. Our 100,000 employees - including more than 5,000 physicians - care for patients across more than 40 hospitals and 800 outpatient sites in Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, as well as overseas. UPMC Insurance Services covers more than 4 million members, providing affordable, high-quality value-based care. To learn more, visit UPMC.com.
