Buckeye fans at the national championship celebration on Jan. 26. Ohio State announced the creation of Buckeye Sports Group Monday. Credit: Carly Damon | Lantern Photo Vault
Name, image and likeness will have a new look at Ohio State.
Just days after the landmark House v. NCAA court settlement was approved, allowing colleges to share revenue directly with athletes, Ohio State’s department of athletics and its partner, Learfield, unveiled the Buckeye Sports Group, also known as BSG, a sweeping new initiative that redefines the university’s approach to name, image and likeness.
“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. “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.”
Under the House settlement agreement, schools may now distribute up to $20.5 million per year directly to athletes. Previously, schools had to rely on third-party resources, such as NIL collectives, to aid and assist athletes to garner NIL opportunities, as universities were not allowed to pay-for-play.
Until now, Ohio State has operated under two primary collectives: The Foundation, a nonprofit established in 2022 by former Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones and Brian Schottenstein to facilitate charitable partnerships; and The 1870 Society, a for-profit collective launched in 2023 to focus on football branding, content and monetization.
BSG represents a formal merger of these efforts. While both collectives will continue to function in advisory roles and maintain their donor bases, according to Ohio State’s official athletics website, BSG will now serve as the university’s NIL command center.
“We’re incredibly thankful for everything our NIL collectives’ leadership, businesses and donors have done to support our student-athletes,” Ross Bjork, Ohio State’s senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation–Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director, said in a statement. “Their commitment has helped shape the landscape in powerful ways. As we move forward with a more unified approach, we’re excited to combine efforts and further strengthen the NIL success of our student-athletes.”
Bjork will hold a press conference today to discuss the settlement and its implications on Ohio State athletics.
Learfield Impact, the athletics department’s partner, is an industry leader in collegiate sports marketing, according to its website. It will provide a suite of services to Ohio State through BSG, including the Compass platform, which streamlines NIL operations and ensures compliance. Learfield will also embed a full-time NIL team on campus to give athletes hands-on guidance through branding, contracts, and deal navigation, while opening doors to Learfield’s expansive network of brand partners and media studios to grow athlete visibility and value.
“As we enter a new era for college athletics, we’re excited to build on our past successes and create even more meaningful NIL opportunities for Ohio State student-athletes,” Vice President & General Manager of Learfield’s Ohio State Sports Properties Todd Knisley said in a press release. “With the strength of Buckeye Nation behind us, we’re able to unlock incremental opportunities for partnerships on a local, regional, and national scale.
Ohio State has been leading the charge in maximizing opportunities in the NIL space. Since the start of NIL in 2021, athletes from all 36 teams have inked more than 500 brand partnerships, with Buckeyes Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs both currently ranking in the top 15 of football NIL valuation, according to On3 Sports.
