11/13/2026 11:35:00 AM | Football, General, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota State Athletics and Learfield's Bison Sports Properties today announced Applied Digital as the official helmet bumper partner of Bison football. NDSU is one of the first programs in the country to announce a helmet bumper sponsorship in college football.
The Applied Digital mark will sit on the back bumper of every Bison helmet, giving the brand a highly visible placement that is present on the field, in televised coverage and in game photography distributed across print, digital and social channels.
The partnership extends indoors at the Scheels Center, where Applied Digital's brand will be placed on the court for all men's and women's basketball home games. The placement reaches fans in the arena and viewers on statewide broadcasts and nationally televised games, delivering exposure across two of NDSU's high-profile sports.
"As Bison football steps onto the FBS stage in the Mountain West, we want partners who match that ambition, and Applied Digital is exactly that," said Matt Larsen, NDSU director of athletics. "Their investment in our helmets and on our court puts their brand alongside our student-athletes and in front of fans across the state and the country."
The partnership arrives in NDSU's first season of FBS football. For Applied Digital, a company with deep operational roots in North Dakota, it is a home-state investment with national reach.
"Putting our name on the Bison helmet, one of the first partnerships of its kind in college football, and on the court at the Scheels Center connects us with the communities of North Dakota and with a national audience that follows this program," said Wes Cummins, Chairman and CEO of Applied Digital.
"Partnerships like this have the power to elevate both organizations," said NDSU President Marshall Stewart. "We are excited about what this relationship with Applied Digital means for Bison Athletics, but also about the potential for our organizations to find new ways to collaborate beyond the field or court. We look forward to exploring all that we can accomplish together."
Learfield's Bison Sports Properties, NDSU's revenue generation partner, brokered the agreement. "The helmet bumper is an exciting sponsorship opportunity, and NDSU is ahead of the curve in bringing it to market," said Josh Hartman, General Manager, Bison Sports Properties. "Pairing it with permanent on-court signage gives Applied Digital a year-round platform built for both in-venue fans and television audiences."
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The Applied Digital mark will sit on the back bumper of every Bison helmet, giving the brand a highly visible placement that is present on the field, in televised coverage and in game photography distributed across print, digital and social channels.
The partnership extends indoors at the Scheels Center, where Applied Digital's brand will be placed on the court for all men's and women's basketball home games. The placement reaches fans in the arena and viewers on statewide broadcasts and nationally televised games, delivering exposure across two of NDSU's high-profile sports.
"As Bison football steps onto the FBS stage in the Mountain West, we want partners who match that ambition, and Applied Digital is exactly that," said Matt Larsen, NDSU director of athletics. "Their investment in our helmets and on our court puts their brand alongside our student-athletes and in front of fans across the state and the country."
The partnership arrives in NDSU's first season of FBS football. For Applied Digital, a company with deep operational roots in North Dakota, it is a home-state investment with national reach.
"Putting our name on the Bison helmet, one of the first partnerships of its kind in college football, and on the court at the Scheels Center connects us with the communities of North Dakota and with a national audience that follows this program," said Wes Cummins, Chairman and CEO of Applied Digital.
"Partnerships like this have the power to elevate both organizations," said NDSU President Marshall Stewart. "We are excited about what this relationship with Applied Digital means for Bison Athletics, but also about the potential for our organizations to find new ways to collaborate beyond the field or court. We look forward to exploring all that we can accomplish together."
Learfield's Bison Sports Properties, NDSU's revenue generation partner, brokered the agreement. "The helmet bumper is an exciting sponsorship opportunity, and NDSU is ahead of the curve in bringing it to market," said Josh Hartman, General Manager, Bison Sports Properties. "Pairing it with permanent on-court signage gives Applied Digital a year-round platform built for both in-venue fans and television audiences."
About Applied Digital
Applied Digital Corporation (Nasdaq: APLD) named Best Data Center in the Americas 2025 by Datacloud – designs, develops, owns, and operates large-scale, purpose-built data centers engineered to support HPC workloads, including AI, machine learning, and other accelerated-compute applications. Headquartered in Dallas, TX, and founded in 2021, the Company combines hyperscale expertise, closed-loop cooling, and rapid deployment capabilities to deliver secure, scalable compute at industry-leading speed and efficiency, while creating economic opportunities in underserved communities through its award-winning Polaris Forge AI Factory model. Find more information at www.applieddigital.com. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @APLDdigital.About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative revenue generation solutions, student-athlete marketing initiatives, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.Â
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