Ohio State to begin direct payments to student athletes in 2025, pending settlement

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Athletic director Ross Bjork said Ohio State will begin direct payments to student athletes starting July 1.

The announcement follows a preliminary settlement agreement in a collection of Name Image and Likeness lawsuits known as House vs. NCAA. The $2.78 billion settlement clears the way for universities to pay students directly, and Bjork said final court approval is predicted to come in April.

Direct payments would be approved through "revenue sharing," a new compensation model that would allow universities to share up to 22% of the athletic department revenue with varsity athletes. Bjork said these payments for men's and women's athletes are expected to exceed $20 million annually, increasing each year by at least 4%.

Bjork said Ohio State is in favor of the settlement, and if it is approved, it will lead to several significant changes for the athletics program. Along with direct NIL payments for athletes, the NCAA will replace scholarship limits for each sport with roster limits. In doing so, Ohio State varsity athletics will add 91 scholarships, but decrease its student athlete population by 150 students. Bjork said aid for individual students is also expected to increase for most sports.

At an Athletics Committee meeting on Monday, Bjork reiterated a message from Ohio State President Ted Carter pledging a commitment to maintaining 36 scholarship varsity sports. In October, concerns circulated about men's gymnastics losing its scholarships, but Bjork and Carter have affirmed they will maintain its scholarships across varsity sports.

The NIL settlement will require Ohio State and other NCAA schools to make adjustments in their athletic funding. The change requires a chunk of Ohio State's athletic budget to fund these NIL payments, and the university is also caught up in back pay lawsuits for former Buckeye athletes who said the university profited off their NIL. Ohio State is also among the only self-sufficient collegiate athletic programs in the nation.

Among budget decisions is a revised football ticket plan starting in the 2025 season. On Wednesday, the Board of Trustees approved increased ticket prices for students, moving from $36 for nonconference games and $38 for conference games to $44 per game next season.

Bjork said the department is reviewing options to support the increase in costs, including expanding donor opportunities and looking at department budget cuts. He said Buckeye fans frequently ask him what they can do to help, and he encouraged philanthropic fans to look out for incoming increased opportunities to invest in the program.

All fans were encouraged to keep an eye out for future communications, as Bjork said he was committed to keeping Buckeyes informed as changes are finalized.