Ohio State announces the creation of consolidated NIL initiative

USA Today

a day ago

Ohio State announces the creation of consolidated NIL initiative
With the approval of the House Settlement for distributions and allowance of direct student-athlete pay, things will continue to change, most notably with Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). The days of large, somewhat vague NIL deals are gone, with anything over $600 needing to be approved by an NCAA Clearinghouse.
To meet the demands of a changing landscape of NIL, Ohio State has announced the creation of the "Buckeye Sports Group." In partnership with Learfield, the OSU Department of Athletics has created the initiative to "support, streamline and enhance Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for Ohio State student-athletes," the university announced on Tuesday.
'Ohio State has always been a leader in college athletics, and this initiative is another step forward to build upon our strong NIL foundation,' said Carey Hoyt, Ohio State's Deputy Director of Athletics in a statement. 'By combining the power of our athletic brand with Learfield's expansive network, we are creating an innovative, full-service approach to NIL that directly benefits our student-athletes.'
Ohio State will work with Learfield Impact, the company's industry-leading NIL services, to dedicate on-campus leadership professionals who will prioritize Buckeye student-athlete brand engagement and content-driven campaigns. Buckeye Sports Group (BSG) will have access to Learfield's Compass NIL technology broker deals and gather insights into student-athlete interests so that they can build brand connections.
Buckeye Sports Group will focus on three comprehensive strategies to move NIL efforts forward: deal facilitation and management, content creation and storytelling, and support services.
NIL Deal Facilitation & Management
o Negotiating and securing brand partnerships locally, regionally, and nationally for student-athletes.
o Overseeing contract preparation and fair market value assessments.
o Utilizing analytics to track NIL performance and return on investment.
Content Creation & Student-Athlete Storytelling, powered by Learfield Studios
o Creating athlete-driven digital content, including social media campaigns, video series and podcasts.
o Leveraging Learfield's Fanbase data and digital expertise to optimize distribution across social media and digital channels.
o Providing marketing resources for brand collaborations to maximize results, including the use of Ohio State marks, logos and access to campus facilities.
Athlete Support & Services
o Providing financial literacy and tax support through partnerships with industry experts.
o Offering branding and social media growth training to help athletes build their personal brands.
o Connecting student-athletes with brand partners to provide business experience, micro-internships and build professional networking relationships with companies.
With the new approach to NIL, Buckeye Sports Group will also work to consolidate current collectives already in place under one vision and strategy so that all efforts are working together under the same parameters and in concert, something that will be paramount to forging ahead in yet another new frontier in college athletics.
We are committed to making Ohio State the premier destination for NIL success,' Hoyt added. 'With Buckeye Sports Group, we're building a model that will serve as the new standard for college athletics.'
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.