CELSIUS Named Official Energy Drink Sponsor of ESPN's College GameDay in New Multi-Year Agreement

Sep. 07, 2026

Ahead of the 2026-27 college football season, Celsius, Disney Advertising and ESPN announced a new multi-year sponsorship agreement naming CELSIUS the Official Energy Drink Sponsor of College GameDay, ESPN's signature college football pregame show and one of the most celebrated traditions in college sports. This fall, CELSIUS is bringing new energy to college football through a season-long integration with ESPN’s College GameDay, taking over campuses across the country and giving fans a new way to participate, compete and become part of the game day action.

The collaboration comes as Celsius’s largest and most integrated sports and entertainment marketing platform to date, building on years of investment in college communities through student marketing ambassadors, university athletics partnerships, campus activations and athlete relationships. Collegiate audiences have long been an integral part of the CELSIUS brand, and the ESPN College GameDay sponsorship represents the next evolution of that presence. Through its landmark presence on ESPN’s College GameDay, CELSIUS is showing up on one of the most powerful stages in culture – where college football, music, entertainment, and fandom collide every Saturday.

The sponsorship will bring CELSIUS into the heart of the ESPN College GameDay experience through key integrations: the CELSIUS energy stage, located adjacent to the GameDay stage featuring the DJ and CELSIUS brand partners at select stops; and the CELSIUS fan cam, which will spotlight fans and students as they bring the energy onsite. Together, these integrations will amplify the atmosphere on campus and create signature moments for fans throughout the season.

Andrew Messina, SVP, Sales, Disney Advertising said:

“College GameDay represents everything fans love about college football, from the passion to the rivalries and unforgettable moments that bring people together each week. Welcoming CELSIUS to this environment showcases the power of connecting brands with our audiences across our platforms in ways that feel authentic, culturally relevant and rooted into the beloved traditions of Saturday mornings on ESPN.”

 

Beyond the ESPN College GameDay stage, CELSIUS is bringing an immersive activation to every ESPN College GameDay stop – the CELSIUS Combine – turning fans into competitors and inviting students, alumni, and local communities to take on a series of football-inspired challenges, from racing the reaction wall and testing their vertical to firing passes at accuracy targets and more. As ESPN’s College GameDay travels from campus to campus, CELSIUS will help create a new kind of fan experience and turn fan energy into action - bringing the brand’s LIVE. FIT. GO.TM mantra to life by getting fans off the sidelines and into the action.

Rishi Daing, Chief Marketing Officer at CELSIUS said:

“College is where the next generation of fans and consumers are shaping culture. CELSIUS has built a meaningful presence in the collegiate community for years through campus partnerships, CELSIUS University ambassadors and our athlete roster. Our collaboration with ESPN College GameDay is a natural evolution of that commitment, expanding our role in the moments that matter most to college football fans - on campus and beyond. Through the CELSIUS Combine, we’ll give fans nationwide the opportunity to move from spectator to participant this fall.”

 

ESPN's College GameDay airs live on Saturday mornings during the college football season from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPNU, Disney+ and the ESPN App.