Meet the KU alum who helped get cryptocurrency patch on Kansas basketball jerseys
Early Wednesday morning, Kansas Athletics announced a jersey patch sponsorship deal with digital finance company Ripple.
With that agreement, the Jayhawks will wear XRP Cryptocurrency patches on the jerseys of each of their athletic teams. That includes the football program, as well as men’s and women’s basketball.
In the KU Athletics release announcing the news, football coach Lance Leipold was quoted thanking Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, who is a KU alumnus from Topeka.
“We’re thankful to have such a strong relationship with Ripple,” Leipold said, “through the leadership of CEO and proud Jayhawk, Brad Garlinghouse.”
Garlinghouse also chimed in on the partnership Wednesday.
“Rare moment where my professional and personal worlds collide: XRP is now the first crypto on the jersey of a major college athletics program, at my alma mater. XRP Family, meet the Jayhawks. Rock Chalk,” Garlinghouse wrote on X.
Here’s a closer look at who Garlinghouse is — and why he’s an important figure for Kansas Athletics.
Who is Brad Garlinghouse?
Brad Garlinghouse graduated from KU in 1994 with a bachelor’s in economics. During his time at KU, Garlinghouse was student body president.
Garlinghouse then attended Harvard Business School and graduated with an MBA in 1997.
Garlinghouse has held high-level positions at DialPad, Yahoo, AOL and other places. He became the CEO of Ripple in 2017. Garlinghouse is also an important figure in the world of KU Athletics. In 2022, he donated $1.5 million to KU’s former NIL fund, Mass Strategies.
About a year later, he donated $35 million to the Gateway District, which includes the renovation of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
“I couldn’t be more proud to have attended the University of Kansas,” Garlinghouse said after the donation. “It is an honor to partner with Kansas Athletics to enrich the future of this place that did so much for me. I hope others feel compelled to do the same.”
The KU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences named Garlinghouse as one of three distinguished alumni for 2015-16.
