The Ohio State football program is in danger of being left behind and it has decided to do something about it. In the new, unregulated, and somewhat oily world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), things are becoming a little too much like the wild, wild, west where the sheriff just shrugs his shoulders and hopes the bludgeoning of the locals doesn’t get too bad.
OSU has always tried to be on the cusp of where the college football world is going and has more or less done a fantastic job, but if the NIL company event that was held on Thursday morning was any indication, there is fear that simply riding whatever wave comes its way is not enough.
“If the speed limit’s 45 miles per hour, and you drive 45 miles per hour, a lot of people are going to pass you by,” Day said. “If you go too fast, you’re going to get pulled over.”
So, to combat the very unchecked world of basically buying players through NIL to come to school to play big-time college football, OSU welcomed members of local businesses to the Covelli Center for the inaugural Name, Image, Likeness company event. The breakfast featured two panels for discussions around the new era of NIL in collegiate athletics.
It was all an attempt to get local companies on board with, according to a release from the university, “Ohio State student-athletes to serve as corporate brand ambassadors for a company within the Columbus community. Participants will engage with the marketing department of each company to promote their brand through a variety of Name, Image and Likeness activities, thus serving as a mutually beneficial partnership for both parties. Additionally, the Eugene D. Smith Leadership Institute staff will enhance the experience for the student-athletes with professional development and brand building education.”
The numbers Ryan Day cites in here mirror what we've been hearing:
"Top-shelf quarterbacks require $2 million in NIL money. Major offensive tackles and edge rushers he said are about $1 million." https://t.co/rC7fyoJW5G
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) June 2, 2022
It’s all about keeping up with the Joneses without really knowing what the Joneses are doing. It’s either play within the very gray boundaries that are in place with NIL, or be left behind by other programs that are finding a way to creatively navigate some of the fuzzy logic that goes with where things are with the game of college football today.
If there’s a bit of good news, Day and company believe the transfer portal and NIL will sort itself out in the next few years, but until then, some creativity all within the realm of not crossing a line has to be addressed.
$13 million ought to do it.
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