HomeCollege FootballNCAA: Ohio State Athletic Director tells Buckeye Nation all sports will be supported, but with less athletes...

NCAA: Ohio State Athletic Director tells Buckeye Nation all sports will be supported, but with less athletes and more scholarships

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The Ohio State University athletic department, powered by its championship-caliber football team, set a record for revenue in fiscal 2023 with a staggering $279,549,337 total from July of 2022 to the end of June in 2023.

That supports 36 sports, with 16 men’s teams, 17 women’s teams and three mixed-gender teams, about 1,000 student-athletes, with total expenses of $274,948,554.

In an open letter published Thursday, OSU Athletics Director Ross Bjork explained that the proposed settlement in the House vs. NCAA lawsuit is going to change the landscape, for both Ohio State and all other Division I NCAA athletic departments.

In short: more money for fewer athletes, but the same number of sports. Wrote Bjork:

“Recently, the U.S. District Court issued preliminary approval of the settlement agreement, with a final decision scheduled for April 7, 2025. Once finalized, this landmark settlement will reshape collegiate athletics and bring much needed clarity, not only for Ohio State but also our peers in the Big Ten and across NCAA Division I.

“When the settlement is approved, here are the key changes that will go into effect July 1, 2025:

“● Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Payments also referred to as “revenue sharing” for student-athletes: Ohio State University will be permitted to directly compensate student-athletes through NIL licensing agreements, anticipated to be $20.5 million in 2025-26. This new allocation of our department’s resources will increase annually by at least 4%.

“Previously, student-athletes could only receive scholarships and be compensated for NIL agreements supported by external entities.

“● Roster and Scholarship Adjustments: New NCAA roster limits will set a cap on the number of athletes eligible for each team, and programs will now be permitted to fund as many scholarships as there are roster spots.

“● NIL Backpay for Eligible Athletes: All Division I athletes who participated in collegiate sports between 2016 and 2024 are eligible for backpay for NIL earnings.”

“With support from President [Ted] Carter, and our Board of Trustees, we are committed to maintaining 36 intercollegiate sports and athletic scholarships for all 36 programs, while also fully funding the $20.5 million dollars of direct payments to student-athletes. After a thorough review of factors such as Title IX compliance, national and conference sport sponsorship trends, our history of competitive success, and a sound fiscal plan, we are excited to announce the addition of 91 new scholarships across both women’s and men’s sports.”

It isn’t all Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows, however.

The Ohio State news release concerning the letter also noted:

“The NCAA will now implement roster limits nationally rather than scholarship limits for each sport. As a result, the number of Ohio State varsity student-athletes will decrease by approximately 150, but the total number of Ohio State athletic scholarships available will increase by 91 scholarships. This new investment will allow Ohio State’s programs to continue to compete for and win championships.

“Currently, most Ohio State student-athletes do not receive a full scholarship and 30% receive no athletic aid. As the department transitions from scholarship limits to roster limits, the number of student-athletes provided full or partial scholarships is expected to increase for most sports. All varsity sports will continue to offer scholarship opportunities.

“In addition, and unrelated to the House settlement, the athletics department has determined that the co-ed rifle and pistol teams will become women-only sports by 2029.”

Bjork closed his message with a call for more giving from Ohio State fans, this time to be used – in part – to pay students to play sports. And:

“We will also continue to work diligently to further reduce operating expenses while uncovering many of the new revenue sources that fit Ohio State traditional values.”

Observed: Ohio State was the biggest athletic department in the country by revenue in 2023, so it will be able to do more than just about anyone else. So the reality of the new athlete landscape coming in 2025 is more money for players (but mostly for football and men’s basketball), more scholarships for athletes and less athletes on teams.

The days of the walk-on at Division I schools appear to be numbered, but it is not at all clear how schools outside of the big-time Football Bowl Subdivision will be impacted, and opportunities at non-football and Division II or III schools may be more open-ended.

All of this is to be determined. But where Ohio State – the biggest-money school in the U.S. – goes, others are sure to at least try to follow.

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