The Ohio State University Department of Athletics just announced it’s extending its partnership with Learfield, a media and tech company that’s pretty much a giant in college sports. The move is all about boosting revenue, expanding NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) opportunities for student-athletes, and trying out some new sponsorship strategies.
College sports are changing fast, and Ohio State wants to stay ahead. This partnership could mean big things for the university, its athletes, and the brands that want in on the action.
Ohio State and Learfield: A Strategic Partnership
Ohio State Athletics and Learfield have been working together for more than 15 years now. This new extension just cements their shared goal to keep Ohio State as a leader in college athletics.
Learfield’s got the media and tech know-how, and they’ll keep serving as the university’s revenue generation partner. The plan is to roll out integrated sponsorships, NIL services through Buckeye Sports Group, and premium assets—think jersey patches and more.
Innovative Sponsorship and Revenue Strategies
Ohio State Sports Properties, Learfield’s local crew in Columbus, teams up with Ohio State Athletics to find new ways to bring in revenue. They’ve already scored some wins, like landing Safelite Field as the field naming rights partner and adding on-field logos at Ohio Stadium.
They’re not stopping there. The partnership’s looking at more emerging assets—jersey patch deals are a hot topic in college sports right now.
Some key parts of this partnership include:
- Integrated Sponsorships: Using Ohio State’s brand power to connect with big-name sponsors, both national and regional.
- NIL Services: Helping student-athletes cash in on their personal brands through Buckeye Sports Group.
- Premium Assets: Bringing brands into the fold with jersey patch deals and other creative sponsorships.
Buckeye Sports Group: Leading NIL Initiatives
At the heart of this partnership is Buckeye Sports Group (BSG), Ohio State’s full-service NIL initiative. BSG launched after the House v. NCAA settlement and runs on Learfield Impact’s platform.
The goal is to give student-athletes real NIL support—deal facilitation, compliance tech, and creative content campaigns all included.
Supporting Student-Athletes
Ohio State’s already a big player in the NIL world. Over 650 NIL activations have happened, with more than 100 brand partners involved.
These aren’t just small-time deals, either. Brands like Beats by Dre, Chipotle, Rite Rug, Spectrum, Door Dash, and Anduril are all in the mix.
BSG’s model makes sure student-athletes get:
- Dedicated NIL Leadership: Experts who can help athletes figure out the tricky NIL landscape.
- Deal Facilitation: A way in with both regional and national brands.
- Compliance Technology: Tools like Compass NIL to keep everything above board with NCAA rules.
- Creative Content Campaigns: Projects to help athletes build and monetize their personal brands.
Maximizing Commercial Revenue
It’s a turning point for college athletics, and bringing in more commercial revenue is a must. Learfield has a network of over 12,000 brand partners, which opens up a lot of doors for new revenue and NIL partnerships.
Ohio State’s approach is pretty data-driven, using Learfield’s top-tier solutions to amp up fan engagement and sponsorships.
Fan Engagement and Data Insights
Learfield’s Fanbase platform is kind of a big deal—it’s the most comprehensive fan data setup in college sports. The platform taps into more than 2.18 million Buckeye fan records and 28.7 million Big 10 fans.
With that kind of data, they can run targeted marketing campaigns, push out over 40 million impressions, and keep fans engaged all year long.
Ohio State gets a lot out of Learfield’s other services too, including:
- Sports Properties Multimedia Rights: Better sponsorship activations and more revenue opportunities.
- SIDEARM Sports Fan Engagement: Top-notch websites, mobile apps, and streaming to reach fans wherever they are.
- Learfield Amplify: Ticket sales and seating services that make the fan experience smoother.
Exclusive Fan Experiences
Learfield is also managing and monetizing Buckeye Experiences, which gives fans some pretty cool perks—VIP venue access, behind-the-scenes activities, and immersive gameday experiences.
It’s all about connecting fans more deeply with Ohio State and giving them memories they’ll actually want to talk about.
Future Prospects
Ohio State is still figuring out its place in the ever-shifting college sports world. The extended partnership with Learfield seems like a smart move to help the university grab new opportunities as they come.
There’s a lot of talk about innovation and finding fresh ways to bring in revenue. Supporting student-athletes is right up there, too, which is honestly great to see.
This collaboration could give Ohio State’s athletics program a real boost, both at home and across the country. It’s not easy to stand out these days, but this might help keep the Buckeyes ahead of the curve.
If you’re curious and want all the details, check out the full announcement on Learfield’s website here.
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