NCAA Shockwave: $100M LGBTQ+ Sponsorship Proposal Puts BYU and Coach Kalani Sitake in National Spotlight
In a stunning twist that has sent shockwaves through the college football landscape, a $100 million corporate sponsorship proposal linked to a pro-LGBTQ+ campaign has reportedly placed BYU and head coach Kalani Sitake at the center of a national cultural and athletic firestorm.
The proposal—originating from a coalition of Fortune 500 companies, led by a global athletic brand and an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization—aims to fund NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities for student-athletes who publicly support diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ+ rights. The offer includes a significant branding partnership with a yet-unnamed LGBTQ+ social awareness initiative set to roll out across major NCAA campuses in the 2025–26 season.
However, the most unexpected development came when BYU, a private university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), was named as one of the potential pilot programs—sparking immediate controversy given the school’s traditional Honor Code and its historical stance on LGBTQ+ issues.
All eyes turned to head coach Kalani Sitake, who has led the Cougars football program with quiet integrity and national respect since 2016. When asked about the sponsorship during a press conference ahead of the fall season, Sitake issued a brief, carefully worded one-line response that ignited debate across media platforms:
> “Everyone deserves respect, and we’re here to build young men who lead with love—on and off the field.”
That single sentence ricocheted across sports networks, social media, and political talk shows, earning both praise and criticism. Some lauded Sitake’s words as a courageous step toward bridging deep cultural divides; others accused him of evading the deeper implications of the proposal.
Inside the NCAA, the reaction has been mixed. One anonymous athletic director called the proposal “a seismic test of where college sports is headed,” while others warned it could set a precedent for ideologically-driven funding that pressures institutions to conform to cultural trends.
For BYU, the situation is uniquely complex. Accepting the sponsorship could elevate the school’s national brand and recruitment prospects, especially as it transitions into the Big 12 and faces increasing financial and competitive pressures. But it would also force the institution to navigate a minefield of religious principles, donor expectations, and student values.
According to sources close to the proposal team, BYU has not formally responded. The university’s Board of Trustees—which includes high-ranking LDS Church leaders—is expected to meet in the coming weeks to deliberate.
Meanwhile, the broader college football world watches closely, knowing this is about more than one school or one coach. It’s a cultural crossroads moment—where identity, athletics, religion, and money collide in a way that could reshape the future of collegiate sports.
Whether BYU embraces the proposal, negotiates terms, or walks away altogether, the statement by Kalani Sitake will be remembered as a defining moment—one that challenges the boundaries of leadership in an era when silence is no longer neutral, and every word counts.
