There are probably a hundred jokes we could make about the announcement of a corporate partnership just announced between South Florida and the behemoth law firm of Morgan & Morgan whose "For The People" mantra is drilled into the psyche of every Floridian with a television set..
Bad call against the Bulls?
Sue 'em.
Or, America’s largest personal injury firm, based in Orlando, has entered the Transfer Portal.
Or, Personal foul. 15 yards. And Morgan & Morgan will be in touch.
Or, Horns up. Hands up. Lawyer up.
But, seriously folks, this obviously is a big deal. It's worth noting that M&M is NOT a sponsor of the hometown UCF Knights. Read into that what you will.
We don't know the financial details or how long the partnership will last, but we do know that the holder of one of the state's largest megaphones now has a working relationship with USF. The firm has done more than stick its toes into the sports water. It has partnerships with multiple professional and college teams, including its "Dunks For The People" program with the Miami Heat.
M&M was the official law firm of this year's American Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball championships. The firm has helped schools and athletic programs navigate NIL deals since 2021.
Rob Higgins, the Bulls' CEO of Athletics, has promised that more announcements about partnerships will be forthcoming in the coming weeks.
In a tweet, he noted, "We don’t treat these like “sponsorships” or “advertising”, they’re mutually beneficial partnerships…where like-minded partners truly believe in what USF Athletics is doing & want to be a part of it. We’re laser focused on maximizing return on their investment, but equally as important, these partnerships help elevate our programs during a time where that has never been more important."
Over the weeks ahead, you’ll see a series of partnership announcements that demonstrate how great brands are investing in our momentum in this very moment as well as for years to come. It started with the first jersey patch in our conference (& state), then to the football field… pic.twitter.com/7896RMAvgK
— Rob Higgins (@RHiggins_USF) August 26, 2026
In a release announcing the agreement, USF "an on-field branding partner, with the company's logo being placed strategically on the playing surface for high visibility both on television and for fans at Raymond James Stadium in 2026, as well as at the school's new state-of-the-art on-campus stadium, scheduled to open in the fall of 2027."
In addition to the logo, the law firm will be a presenting sponsor of a football game this season, as well as during men's and women's basketball every year of the deal.
On a side note, this was what Higgins meant when he accepted the job with his alma mater almost a year ago.
Will Weatherford, who the trustee board chair when Higgins was hired, said USF needed a new approach.
“As we embarked on this search, it became clear that this moment was different for the University of South Florida. Our next leader couldn’t just be an athletics director – we needed a CEO of USF Athletics. In this new era of college athletics, not only is the role about providing a top-tier experience for our student-athletes across all sports, it now requires a business approach to build a competitive enterprise, grow revenue, embrace innovation, lead through change and position our university — and the Tampa Bay region — on the national stage,” Weatherford said.
I referred to it as a "grand slam hire with a bat flip."
This is just the latest example of why that is true.
"For a firm with Florida roots as deep as ours, partnering with the South Florida Bulls was an easy decision," Morgan & Morgan Partner Dan Morgan said. "Our firm has long believed in partnering with organizations and teams that champion and support college athletes, especially in the areas that we work in.
"We're thrilled to kick off this partnership with the Bulls for their 30th season with the Morgan & Morgan logo featured on field and look forward to being a big part of the Bulls new on campus stadium in 2027 as we continue to build on this partnership for the future."
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