Ross Bjork chats with fans on the sideline before the Ohio State football game against Akron Aug. 31. Credit: Carly Damon | Asst. Photo Editor
Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork sent an open letter to “Buckeye Nation” Tuesday morning via email to provide clarity on how the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics will affect Ohio State.
Following the U.S. District Court’s preliminary approval of the House v. NCAA settlement agreement — which would allow collegiate athletes to be compensated for the commercial use of their Name, Image and Likeness — Bjork shared in his letter how this “future model for collegiate athletics” will look at Ohio State, assuming the settlement is officially approved April 7, 2025, when the final decision is set to be issued.
Revenue sharing
The letter states Ohio State will take part in revenue sharing, meaning the university can give athletes a cut of the profits from their respective athletic programs.
“Ohio State University will be permitted to directly compensate student-athletes through NIL licensing agreements, anticipated to be $20.5 million in 2025-26,” the letter states. “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 limits and scholarship funding
Ohio State’s student-athlete population will also decrease by 150, according to a separate Athletic Department press release.
Bjork also announced the university will distribute 91 new scholarships for student-athletes across both men’s and women’s sports, though it’s currently unclear which specific programs will receive this funding.
“We firmly believe this new investment will allow our programs to continue to compete for and win championships and keep excellence at the forefront of our mission,” the letter states.
NIL payback to eligible athletes
Any Division l athlete who played between 2016 and 2024 will be eligible for backpay for NIL earnings, the letter states. The letter doesn’t elaborate on how much money these former student-athletes will receive or how the distribution process will work.
Pistol and rifle changes
In addition, but unrelated to the settlement, instead of co-ed rifle and pistol teams, Ohio State will transition to only offer women’s teams by 2029, according to a separate Athletic Department press release.
Despite these changes, Bjork said his goal is to maintain all 36 sports and corresponding scholarships moving forward.
“We will also continue to work diligently to further reduce operating expenses while uncovering many new revenue sources that fit Ohio State traditional values,” Bjork said in the letter. “We are committed to being extremely innovative and creative amid these changes to the collegiate sports model. During these times of immense change, we have an opportunity to show the world what it means to be a Buckeye and lead the way into the future.”
