Coca-Cola is naming BodyArmor the official sports drink of the 2026 NCAA, replacing Powerade and expanding its growing presence as the official sports drink of NASCAR.
On Feb. 23, Coca-Cola announced it will spotlight BodyArmor across the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, marking a major promotional push since acquiring full control of the brand more than four years ago, Forbes reports. As part of the campaign, BodyArmor branding will appear on sideline cups, coolers, water bottles, and towels used by players and coaches during games.
The brand will also partner with more than 20 athletes through Name, Image, and Likeness deals for social and digital promotion, alongside TV commercials featuring Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks and Flau’jae Johnson of the LSU Tigers women’s basketball. The move replaces Powerade, another Coca-Cola product, which had served as the NCAA’s official sports drink since 2010.
Brunson, who joined BodyArmor in October 2024, brings his own championship pedigree, having won national titles with the Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball team in 2016 and 2018. BodyArmor brought Johnson onto its roster after the LSU star previously promoted Powerade. The four-year starter, who served on LSU’s 2023 national championship team, is projected as a top-five pick in April’s WNBA draft and also holds a music deal with Roc Nation.
“We wanted to make the shift over to the asset because we think she’s a perfect fit for the BodyArmor brand,” said Tom Gargiulo, chief marketing officer for BodyArmor and Powerade. “She’s had a ton of success with March Madness in the past…She’s just an incredible person that really represents the BodyArmor brand and ethos.”
BodyArmor becoming the NCAA’s official sports drink reflects Coca-Cola’s strategy to position the brand more heavily within U.S. sports, while shifting Powerade toward global events like the 2026 World Cup, major soccer leagues, and the Olympics. Powerade has held the NCAA title every year since 2010, except for 2019, when BodyArmor briefly took the spot after Coca-Cola’s initial investment, and Coca-Cola has been an NCAA sponsor since 2002.
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