Ohio State brings NIL in-house with Buckeye Sports Group to support recruiting, retention and brand deals

Donovan Locklyn
Wed, 18 Feb 2026 02:24:18 +0000
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Fans line up outside Ohio Stadium before Ohio State’s game against Ohio University on Sept. 13. Credit: Sandra Fu | Managing Photo Editor

Inside Ohio State’s athletic department, a quiet shift is reshaping how Buckeye athletes build their brands.

The Buckeye Sports Group, launched in the summer of 2025, has quickly become the university’s central hub for name, image and likeness deals, guiding student-athletes through contracts, content creation and partnerships in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Designed to bring structure to the NIL landscape, the in-house group now serves as Ohio State’s primary engine for connecting athletes with brands while supporting recruiting and retention efforts.

Logan Hittle, Ohio State’s associate athletic director of NIL and strategic initiatives, described the Buckeye Sports Group as “an internal marketing agency housed within our Learfield Ohio State Sports Properties team,” built to be “an all-encompassing place for NIL activity to happen for our student-athletes.”

“That includes contract facilitation, content creation and full execution of deals,” Hittle said. “We want any third party engaging with our athletes to have a great experience from start to finish. Think of it as an in-house, concierge-style agency for brands that want to work with student-athletes for NIL purposes.”

The idea, Hittle said, came from athletic director Ross Bjork, who arrived at Ohio State in 2024 and quickly began reshaping the university’s NIL infrastructure.

“We want to serve our current student-athletes the best we can, but we’re also trying to be an attractive destination for future ones,” he said.“Ross and our NIL team put our heads together to build a structure that made sense for Ohio State, and we’ve already seen great success.”

That structure includes bringing more NIL activity in-house, a shift that mirrors national trends as schools look for more control, more flexibility and more alignment with athletic department goals. Hittle said the move away from outside collectives gives Ohio State the ability to adapt quickly as rules and expectations continue to change.

“For us, it’s about having flexibility and verticals that allow us to serve our athletes in the best way possible,” he said. “In this landscape, it’s important to be nimble and have the fluidity to adapt as things evolve. Everything we do is with student-athlete success in mind.”

Matthew Heichemer, director of the Buckeye Sports Group, said that internal structure is what allows Ohio State to operate with speed and intention.

“Bringing NIL in-house through Buckeye Sports Group gives us greater alignment, speed and flexibility in how we support our student-athletes,” Heichemer said. “Because we operate internally, we can move quickly, tailor opportunities to each program and build partnerships that fit both the athlete’s brand and the university’s broader goals. It allows us to be proactive instead of reactively creating platforms, content and revenue streams that are sustainable and strategically built around Ohio State.”

A major part of that work involves building relationships with companies looking to partner with athletes.

“Buckeye Sports Group works directly with brands to build partnerships that are authentic, compliant and impactful for both the company and our student-athletes,” Heichemer said. “We focus on aligning brand objectives with the right athletes, programs and platforms to create meaningful storytelling and measurable results. Because we operate internally, we can ensure brand integrations feel natural to Ohio State while maximizing real opportunities for our athletes.”

That internal alignment also supports the broader goals of Ohio State’s athletic department, particularly in recruiting and retention.

“We want to facilitate as many NIL deals as possible and generate funds to support our coaches,” Hittle said. “Buckeye Sports Group, along with other entities in our ecosystem, has allowed us to continue doing that.”