Ohio State Athletics launches Center for Sports Intelligence and Strategy

USA Today

20 hours ago

Ohio State Athletics launches Center for Sports Intelligence and Strategy
On the heels of the House Settlement being approved, which paves the way for direct revenue sharing with college athletes, the Ohio State Department of Athletics announced the creation of the Center for Sports Intelligence & Strategy.
It's not a physical building, mind you, but according to a release from the department, it is the bringing together of a cross-functional team of athletics department administrators dedicated to driving strategic planning, optimizing data-driven decision-making, and fostering collaboration across teams. It is designed to provide Ohio State coaches with access to cutting-edge analytics, strategic insights, and tools designed to inform and enhance key areas such as recruiting, scheduling, resource allocation, and roster construction.
In other words, it's designed to beat every other college and university athletic department when it comes to the new order of revenue sharing and NIL in amateur college sports.
'The Center for Sports Intelligence & Strategy will equip our coaches with more information, context, and clarity to make even better decisions,' said Shaun Richard, Deputy Athletics Director, in a statement. 'We already have the best sports science team that equips our coaches with data on training, recovery, and performance. This unit will work in tandem with our sports scientists, as well as our business and NIL strategy teams, to give coaches additional data and actionable insights.'
There's no other way to explain this than groundbreaking. In a sense, Ohio State is looking to bring together sports sciences, operations, and athletic performance together to provide a better outcome for the student-athlete and success on the field.
'The intelligence and strategy we're providing will enhance our coaches' ability to make critical decisions by giving them the most relevant and timely information available – so they can maintain a competitive edge in every aspect of their programs,' said Richard.
This type of integration and cooperation is being embraced by Ohio State coaches across multiple sports.
'As coaches at Ohio State, we know the difference between winning and losing often comes down to the smallest details,' wrestling coach Tom Ryan said in the statement. 'The Center for Sports Intelligence & Strategy will uncover subtle patterns and insights that will give our teams a competitive edge. As the world of college athletics evolves, we know the additional intelligence and strategy will help us stay at the forefront in this highly competitive environment.'
Many areas will be impacted by the creation of the Center for Sports Intelligence and Strategy. It will be designed to integrate data and strategic expertise to support long-term planning and real-time decision-making. Areas of impact include recruiting and roster management, scheduling strategy, scholarship and budget modeling, and other operational aspects.
'The Center for Sports Intelligence & Strategy reinforces Ohio State's commitment to innovation, excellence, and leadership in the future of college athletics,' said Ross Bjork, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director. 'As the competitive landscape continues to evolve, the intelligence and strategy provided will serve as an additional resource to ensure sustained success across all 36 sports.'
This is just the beginning of this initiative, and it'll be interesting to see how it all is employed and how it evolves. It'll be even more interesting to see if success on and off the field reach new heights with the collaborative approach.
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