Smith spurns Stroud’s idea of getting paid from B1G’s huge TV deal
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith speaks to the media on Aug. 18 about the Big Ten's new TV deal with three different major outlets and why he feels athletes shouldn't get a portion of those proceeds. Photo by Andy Evans/Columbus Wired.
In what is being called an “unprecedented” and “groundbreaking” deal involving college athletics and the Big Ten, it was announced on Thursday that the conference reached a deal with FOX, CBS and NBC to begin airing all of their athletic events starting in the fall of next year. The sports included in the package are football, men’s and women’s basketball and Olympic sports that student-athletes engage in.
All sporting events within those purviews will be aired on not only those three major networks but certain events will also air on NBCUniversal’s Peacock app, which is a direct-to-consumer streaming application not available on cable or over-the-air TV. Regular programming will still be available on The Big Ten Network and FOX Sports 1, both owned by FOX, and those channels can be viewed on cable or through the FOX Sports app.
Even though specific match-ups haven’t been announced as to what outlet they will appear on, a breakdown of when and what sports you can expect to see on The Big Ten Network, CBS, NBC and FOX can be seen by clicking on each of the outlets’ hyperlinks.
ABC and ESPN were not part of the deal.
Ostensibly the deal means fat stacks of cash for all involved. Fat stacks. And if it were up to third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, they should see their fair share.
“I’ll probably have to think about that a little more but just off the rip, I’d have to say yes,” he answered with a chuckle during Thursday’s interview session for quarterbacks at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said the official number is unknown of exactly how much the conference will rake in from the triple-pronged deal and the aspect of giving student-athletes a cut of the dough has yet to come up in formal conversation. However, he feels the players are already getting a piece of the action.
“That’s something that hasn’t been discussed,” Smith said after Thursday’s practice. “But quite frankly, they’re already getting a piece of the television revenue.”
The Buckeyes’ returning starting quarterback said even though they’re getting their education already paid for, it doesn’t add up to what they bring in every year for the university.
“I feel like this game is amazing, especially in the college atmosphere, because it still does have that amateurism to it because they’re paying for our school, so that’s definitely a plus. I’m not 100 percent sure what our tuition is but I’m sure it’s not the worth of how much we’re actually worth.”
During a press conference this past summer, head coach Ryan Day made the statement that the football team alone would need $13 million a year to survive amongst the ranks of college football’s finest if they are to stay relevant year-in and year-out. Since last year, organizations have been popping up like weeds in the hopes of brokering savory deals for youngsters looking to profit from their name, image and likeness since the NCAA announced last June that they would allow all college athletes to profit from it.
If anyone with a minute shred of common sense can conjecture, the Scarlet and Gray’s starting quarterback is worth a few bags of Benjamins. And apparently, one organization is making that a reality.
According to Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch, it was reported on Wednesday that Stroud and three other football players - running back TreVeyon Henderson, cornerback Denzel Burke and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba - all inked a collaborative deal with The Foundation worth $550,000.
The Foundation is a third-party, non-profit collective co-founded by Brian Schottenstein and former OSU QB Cardale Jones that will collaborate with wealthy boosters and fans.
According to Kaufman, also as part of the deal, Burke and Henderson will become spokesmen for American Eagle Outfitters, while Smith-Njigba and Stroud will promote Designer Shoe Warehouse and Stroud will be toting Value City Furniture, too.
They will all also work with The Foundation’s partner charities, a group that includes Buckeye Cruise for Cancer, A Kid Again and LifeTown Columbus, which is a charity focused on kids with special needs.
The deal was negotiated by NIL Management but the official number for each player was not stated.
Nonetheless, a $550,000 pot split four ways is a lot of cheddar for a college athlete.
Stroud said growing up, his mom taught him to value his self-worth and said even the school itself would look fondly upon giving him and others a portion of the loot.
“I know I’m probably not worth a billion dollars right now,” Stroud said with a wry smile, “but it would definitely mean a lot not only to the players but the coaches, too. I think even the school would appreciate just giving us maybe a little something, know what I mean? Just because we’re putting in so much work, like we’re here when nobody’s looking and all the time that goes into it, it’s definitely tough.”
Smith said when all of the other intangibles given to student athletes are included, like trainers, nutritionists, psychologists and academic advisors - to name a few - the deals brokered with media outlets are what keeps the university going and are essentially an investment in the athlete.
“That’s how we fund those positions, that’s how we fund this building (the Woody Hayes Athletic Center), that’s how we fund this new field, that’s how we fund the new field in the stadium, that’s how we fund the security that we’ll need for 103,000 fans inside the stadium and maybe 30,000 outside for the tailgating while the game is going on. So they already get a piece. It may not be directly in their pocket but it’s an investment in them.”
Stroud, Smith-Njigba, Henderson and Burke will all be a part of a fundraiser held by The Foundation on Aug. 22 and will focus on A Kid Again and LifeTown.