Ohio State Signs Similar Media Rights, In-House NIL Deal to Kentucky

That landscape of college athletics looks drastically different from what it did five years ago. Schools must operate differently in the revenue-share era. Ohio State recently announced infrastructural changes that mirror a move previously made by the University of Kentucky.

On Jan. 7, Learfield announced a long-term partnership extension with Ohio State. The press release reads is eerily similar to the one shared over the summer by JMI Sports and Kentucky.

It’s a 15-year contract extension between Ohio State and its media rights partners, the same terms as the new Kentucky deal. Ohio State and Learfield are also removing a specific dollar figure from their deal and moving to a revenue-sharing model. They did not release the exact percentages, but Kentucky will receive 80% of the net revenue from JMI during the terms of the deal.

The part of the agreement that has created concerns for Big Blue Nation is the creation of the BBNIL Suite. It effectively shut down outside collectives and moved all NIL operations in-house, leading fans to wonder if the Wildcats will be financially competitive under this new structure. Ohio State is following Kentucky’s lead by creating the Buckeye Sports Group (BSG), a similar structure packaged as a “first-of-its-kind, full-service NIL initiative.” The new program launched in June.

This is where Kentucky and Ohio State differ. Ohio State is still allowing its outside collective, THE Foundation, to continue to operate. This was the group that organized the fundraising effort to land Caleb Downs and helped propel the Buckeyes to a National Championship.

While the outside NIL collective is still in business, it’s unclear how much Ohio State is utilizing its services. Speaking with sources close to Ohio State, the program’s funding is shifting toward the in-house collective, BSG.

These decisions by both schools share a similar goal: integrating NIL with revenue-sharing to create a more streamlined process.

“BSG was launched alongside an expansion of NIL leadership and on-campus resources to further strengthen industry-leading support for student-athletes,” Learfield and Oio State said in a joint statement. “Through this integrated model, Learfield Impact delivers dedicated NIL leadership, access to deal facilitation and compliance technology via Compass NIL, and creative content campaigns designed to help student-athletes build, monetize, and manage their personal brands.”

Ohio State football and Kentucky basketball are two of the biggest brands in college athletics. They’re taking a similar approach to ensure their top programs are properly funded in the revenue-sharing era.

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