MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State Athletics, in conjunction with Learfield’s K-State Sports Properties, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Manhattan-based Purple Wave Auction on a football jersey patch for the 2026 season.
The partnership, the first of its kind in school history, secures Purple Wave’s logo on the home and away football jerseys for the upcoming season and matches two iconic brands rooted in history and midwestern values. The patch is one of several components of the partnership, which will also include digital, social media and in-game activations, as well as NIL opportunities for Wildcat football student-athletes.
“We could not be any more pleased to team up with Purple Wave Auction on this special partnership,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “What makes it even more special is aligning with a local company and brand that share the same values and mission, and that is what we have done thanks to Aaron and Suzy McKee and Purple Wave. They are a part of our team and will be showcased to the nation all season long.”
Purple Wave Auction has spent years redefining how construction, ag and fleet equipment changes hands. Rooted in Kansas, the online auction company has grown into the country's leading no-reserve platform, giving buyers and sellers "Nationwide reach with a local touch." Sellers get a no-reserve auction, with equipment sold right where it sits. Buyers get a transparent, secure way to bid on construction, ag and fleet equipment from anywhere in the world.
"Football is collision and grit — moving something heavy against resistance and not backing down," said Aaron McKee, CEO of Purple Wave Auction. "That's our business too. We sell iron, we sell hard, and we don't hide behind a reserve price. Wildcat football plays the same way, and we're proud to be on their jersey."
The Purple Wave Auction jersey patch will make its debut September 5 when the Wildcats open the Collin Klein era at Bill Snyder Family Stadium against Nicholls. Fewer than 500 tickets remain for the season opener and can be purchased here.
“Purple Wave is a dedicated partner of K-State Athletics and is committed to supporting Wildcat student-athletes and elevating the two brands together,” said Andrew Wheeler, Executive Vice President of Sports Properties at Learfield. “We’re thrilled to see a respected local brand align with K-State and become the first jersey patch sponsor of the Wildcats.”
K-State Sports Properties, the locally based team of Learfield – the media and technology company powering college athletics – is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for K-State Athletics and oversees all sponsorship agreements on behalf of the Wildcats.
About Purple Wave Auction
Purple Wave is a full-service, no-reserve online auction company that delivers a personalized experience for every buyer and seller. Specializing in the sale of construction, ag and fleet equipment, Purple Wave gives sellers a simple, transparent way to market and sell their equipment right where it sits, and gives buyers a secure way to bid from anywhere in the world. Purple Wave partners with sellers by marketing their equipment, creating professional listings and handling every step of the sale, providing the easiest, most straightforward way to buy and sell equipment quickly and efficiently. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Manhattan, Kansas, Purple Wave has grown into the nation's leading no-reserve auction platform, delivering nationwide reach with a local touch.
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