COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University announced it will be maintaining all 36 of its varsity sports while paying student-athletes in men's and women's sports for their name, image and likeness rights.
Ohio State said it will put in several changes, including paying student-athletes. Beginning next year, the university said it will pay student-athletes for their NIL rights, leading to direct payments that are expected to exceed $20 million each year.
“The intercollegiate athletics landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation,” Ross Bjork, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director, said. “And through this change, it is our goal to continue the tradition of supporting 36 teams, prioritizing academics, winning and maximizing the student-athlete experience on and off the playing fields.”
Last month, the U.S. District Court issued a preliminary approval to a settlement agreement in three antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA. One of the cases, spearheaded by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House, contends college athletes should receive a cut of the billions of dollars in media rights fees that go to the power conference and the NCAA. A final approval is expected in April 2025.
The university's department of athletics is expected to be financially stable while generating its own resources.
“Private support from alumni, fans, corporate partners, foundations and individual donors has long been essential to the success of Ohio State Athletics as a self-sustaining department building toward and maintaining a standard of excellence,” Bjork said. “We are grateful and thankful to our donors for their support through the years and for their continued commitment to Buckeye sports.”
The NCAA is also implementing roster limits nationally rather than scholarship limits for each spot. As a result, the number of varsity student-athletes will decrease by 150, but the total number of Ohio State athletic scholarships available will increase by 91.
The university said most student-athletes do not receive a full scholarship and 30% receive no athletic financial aid. The number of student-athletes provided full or partial scholarships is expected to increase for most sports.
In an open letter to Buckeye Nation, Bjork said all Division I athletes who participated in college sports between 2016 and 2024 will be eligible for backpay for NIL earnings.
The announcements from Ohio State come days after Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order allowing colleges and universities to pay student-athletes for their NIL rights.