Cole Pepper
The Jacksonville Jaguars and UF have announced a new four-year partnership, signaling a new hospital sponsor of the NFL team.
Previously, Baptist Health was the Jaguars’ sole hospital partner. Both UF Health and Baptist will remain as Jaguars’ partners through the 2024 season. The new arrangement is a marketing partnership that will see Baptist shifting its Jaguars partnership to Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
The deal with UF Health includes plans for brands to be “displayed prominently at Jaguars games at both domestic and international venues. UF and the Jaguars also will join forces on marketing campaigns that amplify their shared values,” according to a release.
“The University of Florida has big plans with Jacksonville, and our partnership with the Jaguars is just the start,” said UF Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini. “We’re excited about the future.”
In 2023, UF plans for a downtown Jacksonville satellite campus was announced. The plan calls for a campus to serve graduate students in the medical and financial technology fields. So far, no permanent location has been announced but temporary space in the JEA building will provide classes beginning next fall.
“This partnership will highlight the rocket-ship trajectory that UF, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the city of Jacksonville are all on,” UF President Ben Sasse said. “With this agreement, UF and the Jacksonville Jaguars are demonstrating our shared commitment to the vitality of both the Jacksonville community and the state of Florida.”
UF will cover the cost of the partnership using private dollars.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the University of Florida beginning with our 30th anniversary season,” said Mark Lamping, President of the Jacksonville Jaguars. “With UF’s proximity to Jacksonville and their investment in our city in higher education and health care, it’s a natural collaboration between our two institutions.”
UF Health was prominently displayed on the video boards during Saturday’s Stateside Cup soccer match between Premier League sides Wolves and West Ham. A large Baptist Health sign currently hangs under the video boards in the north end of EverBank Stadium.
