Ohio State’s Buckeye Sports Group: Revolutionizing NIL Opportunities
On June 9, 2025, The Ohio State University Department of Athletics, in partnership with Learfield’s Ohio State Sports Properties, announced the formation of the Buckeye Sports Group (BSG), a groundbreaking initiative designed to support, streamline, and enhance Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for Ohio State student-athletes. This move, spurred by the recent House v. NCAA settlement, positions Ohio State as a leader in the evolving landscape of college athletics, where schools can now directly compensate athletes for their NIL, with a cap of approximately $20.5 million per school annually. BSG aims to empower Buckeye student-athletes to maximize their brand value while competing at the highest level, consolidating existing NIL collectives and leveraging advanced technology to foster authentic brand partnerships.
The House v. NCAA settlement, approved on June 6, 2025, marks a pivotal shift, allowing schools to pay athletes directly for their NIL starting July 1, 2025. BSG will serve as a centralized hub, focusing on three key areas: deal facilitation and management, content creation and storytelling, and support services. Through Learfield’s Compass NIL technology, BSG will negotiate local, regional, and national brand partnerships, oversee contract preparation, and ensure fair market value assessments. This streamlined approach replaces Ohio State’s previous NIL collectives, THE Foundation and The 1870 Society, whose founding members will now advise BSG. Recurring donations to these collectives will continue to support Ohio State athletics, ensuring a unified strategy.
BSG’s content creation efforts, powered by Learfield Studios, will produce athlete-driven digital content, including social media campaigns, video series, and podcasts, to amplify student-athletes’ personal brands. Support services will include financial literacy training, tax support, and branding workshops, equipping athletes with skills for long-term success. Ohio State’s Deputy Director of Athletics, Carey Hoyt, emphasized the initiative’s innovation: “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’s proactive approach builds on its strong NIL foundation, with over 500 brand partnerships already secured across its 36 sports, featuring brands like Beats by Dre and Chipotle. Athletes like Jeremiah Smith, with a reported $4.2 million NIL valuation, and Caleb Downs, at $2.4 million, exemplify Ohio State’s success in the NIL space. BSG’s formation aligns with the settlement’s Fair Market Evaluation process, ensuring compliance as third-party deals over $600 face scrutiny from the College Sports Commission’s NIL Go clearinghouse.
Posts on X reflect excitement, with fans and analysts hailing BSG as a “game-changer” for Buckeye athletes. Ross Bjork, Ohio State’s Athletics Director, praised the collectives’ past contributions while expressing enthusiasm for BSG’s unified approach. By consolidating efforts and leveraging Columbus’s growing market, BSG positions Ohio State to set a national standard for NIL programs, ensuring Buckeye student-athletes thrive in this new era of college athletics.
