Axle Logistics, a third-party logistics company headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, has been named the first jersey patch sponsor in the history of University of Tennessee basketball. Tennessee Athletics announced the agreement on August 18, 2026. The company logo will appear on the uniforms of both the men's Volunteers and the Lady Vols under a five-year contract. The men's team will wear the patch first during an October 15 exhibition against Xavier at Food City Center, and the women's team follows on October 27 against Florida A&M.
The Vol Network, a Learfield division that holds multimedia rights for Tennessee Athletics, arranged the partnership. Athletics director Danny White said the department sought a partner known for operational performance and community involvement, citing Axle's standing in the logistics field both locally and nationally.
The agreement extends beyond logo placement. According to the university, it includes funding for student-athlete influencer marketing meant to help athletes develop personal brands and gain practical experience in marketing and business development, a structure shaped by current name, image, and likeness rules.
Axle Logistics operates as a non-asset-based provider, arranging truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, and warehousing services across the United States, Canada, and Mexico rather than owning trucks. Co-founders Jon Clay and Drew Johnson are Tennessee alumni, and the firm ranks among the largest employers of University of Tennessee graduates. The company appeared on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list with revenue reported between $1 billion and $2.5 billion. Company leadership framed the deal around workforce recruitment, describing it as an investment in a talent pipeline for a labor-intensive brokerage sector.
Source: FreightWaves - https://www.freightwaves.com/news/axle-logistics-lands-a-five-year-jersey-patch-deal-with-tennessee-basketball