For nearly 150 years, The Ohio State University has been a leader in academics and athletics – supporting student-athletes and fielding championship teams. As the university embarks on a new era in intercollegiate athletics, the Department of Athletics is committed to maintaining 36 scholarship varsity sports and supporting its student-athletes as they compete for and win national, conference and individual event championships.

In an open letter to Buckeye Nation, Ross Bjork, senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director, outlined some of the changes and a direction for the future.

A U.S. District Court recently issued preliminary approval to a settlement agreement in the lawsuits collectively referred to as House vs. NCAA. Ohio State supports the settlement and is hopeful the court will issue final approval in April 2025. At that time, Ohio State and its Big Ten and NCAA Division I peers will institute a number of significant changes, including paying athletes in men’s and women’s sports for their name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. 

Beginning in 2025-2026, in accordance with the settlement and changes in NCAA rules and regulations, Ohio State will compensate student-athletes for their NIL rights, also referred to as “revenue sharing,” leading to direct NIL payments that are anticipated to exceed $20 million annually. 

“The intercollegiate athletics landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation,” Bjork 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.”  

The Department of Athletics will continue to be financially stable while generating its own resources. Thanks to the support of Buckeye Nation – alumni, fans, donors, corporate partners and others – the department fields the country’s largest public university athletics program without funding from tax or tuition dollars.  

“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.”  

In addition to funding student-athlete scholarships, donor giving supports the “Circle of Care,” a holistic approach to student-athlete well-being. The Circle of Care brings together a dedicated network of professionals and resources to address the diverse needs of all Ohio State’s varsity student-athletes, including in the critical areas of academic support, sports psychology and mental health care, career preparation for life after sports, nutrition and sports performance. 

“Philanthropy will remain crucial to providing the resources necessary to strengthening and advancing our Circle of Care for all our student-athletes, ensuring that we preserve and enhance the proud legacy of Ohio State athletics,” Bjork said. 

Direct institutional NIL payments are just one of several structural changes within the department.

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. 

The department is actively reviewing a range of initiatives to support increased costs, including FY25 budget cuts, expanding the Buckeye Club and Champions Fund philanthropic arm of the department, a revised football season ticket plan for 2025, increasing corporate sponsorships, new NIL agreements with student-athletes, naming opportunities across athletics facilities, and new strategic initiatives around licensing and branding.