GENESIS NAMED THE OFFICIAL LUXURY VEHICLE OF THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
• New partnership connects Genesis to the millions watching Big Ten sports and the network of 9+ million alumni. Partnership includes delivery of the game trophy in a Genesis vehicle at the 2026 Discover Big Ten Football Championship on FOX, activation at the TIAA Big Ten Men’s and Allstate Women’s Basketball Tournaments, as well as year-round event signage and fan activations.
Genesis has been named the Official Luxury Vehicle of the Big Ten Conference, its first such partnership in college athletics. While the partnership begins with football, it will expand to additional Big Ten sports throughout the year, including men’s and women’s basketball, as well as volleyball, baseball, softball, ice hockey, and wrestling.
“The Big Ten Conference embodies many of the values that define our brand, including a relentless commitment to excellence,” said Amy Marentic, chief marketing officer of Genesis Motor America. “As our first partnership in college athletics, this collaboration represents an important opportunity to engage with one of the nation's largest and most passionate sports audiences, deepen our connection with consumers across the country, and continue growing awareness and consideration for Genesis. Together with the strong foundation we've established through golf, this partnership helps us expand our reach and further elevate the Genesis brand in the U.S.”
The brand’s partnership with the Big Ten Conference is part of Genesis’ broader strategy to connect with college alumni and passionate fans deeply engaged with their favorite teams. With 9.4 million alumni coast-to-coast and nearly 823,000 students, the Big Ten Conference’s presence is felt and heard from New York to the Midwest, to Southern California.
Building on Genesis’ global sports portfolio of prominent golf sponsorships, the partnership with college football aims to elevate the brand’s awareness in the United States, one of its fastest-growing markets. This strategic partnership has helped the brand build meaningful connections with consumers who prioritize performance, dedication, and excellence.
"We are proud to expand our relationship with Genesis while highlighting a broad array of Big Ten sports and competition," said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. "We are equally excited to see the stories of our student-athletes and their families come to life as part of the partnership."
As Official Luxury Vehicle, Genesis will be integrated into the 2026 Discover Big Ten Football Championship on FOX by delivering the championship trophy onto the Lucas Oil Stadium field in a Genesis vehicle. The partnership also includes activation space at the Big Ten Football Championship Fan Fest, creating additional opportunities for fans to engage with Genesis throughout championship weekend.
Beyond football, Genesis has already been featured across Big Ten athletics through branding and broadcast mentions, including the Allstate Big Ten SEC Volleyball Challenge at Wrigley Field. Looking ahead, Genesis will continue to be featured across FOX, FS1, BTN, NBC, Peacock, and CBS throughout men's and women's basketball games, the inaugural 2026 Big Ten Volleyball Tournament, and select Olympic Sport Championships, including ice hockey, softball, baseball, and wrestling.
Genesis has also extended its existing partnership with NBC Sports as pre-game presenting sponsor of the Big Ten College Countdown pregame show through the 2028 season. The sponsorship will span the full college football season for select matchups from Big Ten Football and Notre Dame Football, airing live on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
New for this year, Genesis debuted custom online content produced by NBC Universal’s Rock Studios and distributed across NBC and Peacock, as well as FOX, FS1 and BTN, with cutdowns for social. Featuring the Genesis GV80, the content celebrates the dedication, commitment and support families provide throughout an athlete’s journey.
The brand will be featured prominently throughout NBC Sports’ college football coverage through integrated branding, verbal mentions, custom show opens and outros, and placements across select game broadcasts, livestreams, and pregame programming. Additionally, Genesis will be showcased in college football social media highlights and extended highlights on YouTube, ensuring strong visibility across platforms.
The comprehensive partnership was developed in coordination between Genesis' media agency Canvas Worldwide and its advertising agency of record, INNOCEAN USA.
For more information on Genesis and its entire lineup of vehicles, visit www.genesis.com .