Arkansas to debut field sponsorships with Walmart, Tyson Foods
Arkansas has had long and lucrative partnerships with Walmart and Tyson Foods, and On3’s Pete Nakos can confirm the program has reached a multi-year sponsorship extension with both.
The two powerhouse brands will get logos included on either 25-yard line at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium as part of the deal.
Arkansas is one of several schools experimenting now with on-field sponsorships, and the Razorbacks surely won’t be the last. In the age of NIL and an eventual post-House-settlement world, where raising maximum funding is a must, every creative angle must be explored.
And the Razorbacks have some of the most powerful backers in business behind them.
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It’s one of the reasons the program was able to lure away high-profile Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari this offseason. In fact, Arkansas booster John Tyson recently shed some light on that stunning hire.
John Tyson recalls the John Calipari hiring process
Arkansas had a tumultuous journey before eventually landing John Calipari as its next men’s basketball head coach. In a recent story by CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, Tyson Foods chairman and Arkansas booster John Tyson pulled back the curtain on the Razorbacks’ extensive coaching search.
“Tyson first called his coaching friend to ask if he’d speak to [Arkansas athletics director Hunter] Yurachek about vetting candidates,” Dodd wrote. “Yurachek called Calipari that night. At some point Yurachek cut to the chase and asked Calipari if he was interested.
“‘In my judgment as a businessman, either you go big [or not],’ Tyson said. “‘When we were talking big, I threw out three names. I said, ‘Do you call Bill Self? Do you call Danny Hurley or do you call Coach Cal?
“‘Or do you [hire], Chris Beard, Jerome Tang. In the business world you call that a lateral move. You go get somebody who knows how to do the business. You’re probably going to have to pay them a little more.’”
The program reportedly reached out to Kansas State’s Jerome Tang and Ole Miss’ Chris Beard initially, but both candidates opted to stay with their respective programs. Then, reports surfaced claiming the Razorbacks had landed Calipari.
It was a stunning hire. Calipari spent 15 seasons at Kentucky and athletics director Mitch Barnhart had verified Calipari was returning for the 2024-25 season only days earlier. Nonetheless, Arkansas reeled in Calipari, and his accolades came with him.
Powerful boosters and partnerships matter. And Arkansas has some of the best in college sports, now officially highlighted on the field.
On3’s Grant Grubbs also contributed to this report.