Ohio State's Gene Smith Soliciting “Additional Support” For NIL Collectives

"We are committed to supporting our current and future student-athletes while building strong, competitive programs."

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith issued a statement on Thursday morning, asking fans and local business leaders to support the Buckeyes through one of three name, image and likeness collectives.

“There has never been a more exciting time to be a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes,” Smith said. “Excellence within our programs and remarkable experiences for our student-athletes will always be the standard at Ohio State, while competing for championships, academic excellence and graduating, and preparing for life after sports are our goals.

“Recent guidance updates from the NCAA clarified how schools can be involved in name, image and likeness activities of student-athletes. Many of our Buckeyes are taking advantage of this, and we are committed to supporting our current and future student-athletes while building strong, competitive programs.

“We welcome your help in keeping Ohio State at the top of the college athletics landscape. Three ‘collective’ organizations that are helping our Buckeyes maximize NIL opportunities are in operation and seeking additional support.”

That includes Cohesion, The Foundation and The “O” Foundation, which help connect student-athletes to NIL opportunities.

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The Buckeyes have previously expressed a concern about falling behind other schools, including those that offer direct payments to recruits and players under the guise of NIL, which is not permitted under NCAA rules.

Head coach Ryan Day told members of the local business community this summer that it would take $13 million in NIL opportunities to keep the current roster intact. Smith's statement would suggest that number is increasing.

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