COLUMBUS – The 132nd season of Ohio State football began bright and early Wednesday morning when the Buckeyes hit the practice field for the first of 25 schedule practices prior to the opener at Minnesota on Sept. 2.
2021 Ohio State Football Schedule
In more ways than one, the first full season following the pandemic-shortened campaign of 2020 will be the first of a new era in college athletics.
The SEC has sent shockwaves across the nation by announcing that it plans to welcome Big 12 powerhouses Texas in Oklahoma later this decade, but the most immediate change will be the impact of the NCAA’s lifting of its longtime ban on athletes being compensated for their names, images and likenesses.
Ohio State players will be able to make money from the sale of jerseys, video games, bobble heads and other merchandise bearing their names and numbers under a new group licensing agreement announced Tuesday.
The agreement between the university’s Office of Trademark and Licensing Services, Department of Athletics and The Brandr Group will allow athletes in all 36 varsity sports who voluntarily opt-in to a group licensing agreement to use their NIL alongside Ohio State’s trademarks and logo.
The first program will allow athletes to profit off jerseys bearing their names and future programs will include video games, apparel, trading cards and bobble heads.