Ohio
Ross Bjork Says “Everything is On the Table” For Naming Rights, Including Ohio Stadium, As Buckeyes Work to Keep All 36 Sports
The Horseshoe could be brought to you by a corporate sponsor in the future.
In a recent interview with On3, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said the Buckeyes have to keep all options open in terms of naming rights for corporate sponsors, including the possibility of renaming Ohio Stadium.
While Ohio Stadium already has a sponsored field, Safelite Field, Bjorks is also leaving the door open to add a sponsor name to the stadium.
“So Safelite is exclusive for the field naming, so it’s the field name,” Bjork told On3’s Pete Nakos. “But in and around the perimeter of the stadium, adjacencies to the field, things like that. I’ve been saying, ‘Look, we have to put everything on the table.’ Naming rights of the stadium. The jersey patch is a conversation. We have to work with our partner, Nike, in that conversation.
“If we’re breaking glass right now and we’re going to put the window back, let’s get it all on the table so we can put the window back in the right position. Everything has to be on the table right now to analyze. That doesn’t mean we’re going to do it. It just means let’s at least answer the question. Here’s the value. Is this the right thing to do? Yes or No. If it’s not, OK, fine. If it is, how do we pursue it? Or how does it fit in?”
Earlier this season, the NCAA approved a rule change that will allow teams to have on-field sponsor logos for regular season games. Jersey patches are another sponsored item that could be allowed in the near future, which Sportico estimates could provide more than $5 million in revenue for a premier program.
All this comes in the wake of the NCAA’s $2.78 billion antitrust settlement in May, which established the beginning of a revenue-sharing model in college sports. With athletic departments now able to share up to 22% of the national Power Conference average revenue with athletes – and Ohio State plans to pay its players whatever the full amount is – programs have been looking for ways to increase the money they bring in.
Ohio State has repeatedly stated a commitment to keep all 36 varsity sports it offers intact, starting at the top with president Ted Carter.
“We made one big, bold statement, and that is we’re going to maintain 36 Division I sports,” Carter told Eleven Warriors in July. “I watched during COVID-19 what schools like William & Mary and Stanford (which also has 36 sports but opted to cut 11 sports in 2020 before reinstating them in 2021) went through. Even in the state of Nebraska, which happened before I got there, the University of Nebraska at Omaha cut football and wrestling at the Division II level to move into the Summit League. Heavily criticized at the time.
“And as I’ve watched the college landscape and think about what it means to maintain these sports, it’s important once you get them to do everything you can to hold on to them. You don’t want to lose that. It’s too important to the student-athlete. So we’ve made a declarative statement that we’re going to hold on to that.”
Not all those sports will receive funding at the level they currently do, however, and the Buckeyes are looking for ways to cut costs, especially for sports that aren’t generating revenue. All athletes will still have at least one avenue for making money through NIL.
“What sports are in the financial aid category, what sports are in the revenue share category – all sports can be in the NIL category,” Bjork said. “We can try to support them for all sports. And then what you have to do is, depending on how it’s funded in those other categories, you have to determine what are the resources needed to support that sport. If we have sports that become walk-on sports where the athletes are walk-ons, do they need as much infrastructure around them?”
Bjork added that coaching staff reductions and operational changes could be a way to lower costs as well.
“We don’t have full clarity on that piece yet,” Bjork said. “That’s part of our analysis. And so when we say shrink, I think the answer is, what do you need to operate that program? And what do you need to operate the program where you don’t impact the student-athlete experience? You still have health and safety. You’re not going backward on that. But the other stuff that we do for our sports, you may have to pull back.”
Football will always remain the top revenue driver for Ohio State’s athletic department, though. So to help sustain both itself and everything else, Bjork is keeping all his options available.
Why artists are dropping out of the Great American State Fair
Musicians cancel appearances at the Great American State Fair after questions over Freedom 250 and claims the July Fourth event is nonpartisan.
As several states pull out of the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., questions are coming up closer to home — Is Ohio still participating?
Massachusetts and North Carolina won’t participate in the fair, according to USA TODAY. Reports also indicate that Connecticut, Illinois, Maine and Oregon are also expected to skip the event, with some states citing a combination of financial and political concerns as reasons for opting out.
Here’s what we know about Ohio’s role in the event so far.
Is Ohio skipping the 2026 Great American State Fair?
Ohio has confirmed its participation with a booth titled “Ohio: The Heart of it All,” which showcases state parks and childhood development. The governor’s office began the planning process for the booth in February, shortly after the Great American State Fair was announced, said Lisa Peterson director of communications in the governor’s office.
The Great American State Fair, organized by Freedom 250, is a 16-day exposition that will be displayed on the National Mall from June 25 to July 10.
Additionally, Ohio will host a stop from the “Freedom Truck,” a traveling exhibit tied to Freedom 250. The exhibit will appear at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Organizers describe the Freedom Truck as a mobile museum that visits existing fairs and community events, not a version of the Great American State Fair itself.
When does the ‘Freedom Truck’ stop in Ohio?
The Freedom Truck is scheduled to be at the Ohio State Fair from July 27 through Aug. 10, 2026 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.
The exhibit includes interactive and historical exhibits about the founding of the United States, according to organizers.
The mobile museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, with the final day closing at 6 p.m.
What is the Great American State Fair?
The Great American State Fair is a 16-day event planned for June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Organized by Freedom 250, the fair is part of a broader effort to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary with state exhibits, food, entertainment and cultural programming, according to USA TODAY.
President Donald Trump announced he will headline the Freedom 250‑organized Great American State Fair and hold an “America Is Back” rally, the publication reports.
America250 vs. Freedom 250: What’s the difference?
The Great American State Fair is part of Freedom 250, a Trump-backed initiative to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary.
That effort is different from America250, the official, congressionally-authorized program coordinating nationwide commemorations. Meanwhile, America 250‑Ohio, the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial, is the official state-level partner to the national America250 effort.
The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 23, 2026, results for each game:
Mega Millions
Mega Millions drawings take place every week on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.
48-51-60-63-66, Mega Ball: 20
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 8-8-0
Evening: 2-0-5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 7-2-9-0
Evening: 1-6-9-3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 5
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 2-9-2-5-7
Evening: 2-8-6-4-9
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Rolling Cash 5
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 7:05 p.m.
03-09-22-37-39
Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Enquirer digital news director. You can send feedback using this form.
TEMPE, AZ – JANUARY 02: Head coach Jim Tressel of the Ohio State Buckeyes holds the football from the trophy after the Buckeyes defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Tostito’s Fiesta Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium on January 2, 2006 in Tempe, Arizona. The Buckeyes defeated the Fighting Irish 34-20. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
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