(AP) — Ohio State's athletic director says the school will add 91 scholarships for the next school year as college sports programs start adjusting to a changing landscape that includes paying players and new roster limits across all sports.
In a letter this week to the Ohio State community, Ross Bjork, who oversees one of the nation's biggest athletic departments, said the Buckeyes would share with players the full $20.5 million allowed as part of an agreement negotiated in the lawsuit settlement, forcing major changes to the college sports model.
He said the school would keep all 36 of its sports programs.
“We firmly believe this new investment will allow our programs to continue to compete for and win championships and keep excellence at the forefront of our mission,” Bjork wrote.
As part of the House settlement, current scholarship limits are being replaced by roster sizes, and schools will be able to offer scholarships to all players on their rosters. Some of those rosters will shrink, but the net change can result in more scholarships at schools that want to fund them.
Bjork did not divulge details of where the new scholarships will go. Officials at Ohio State did not immediately return a message left by The Associated Press asking for more details.
Bjork also sounded the same theme as many ADs at schools his size when he signaled the need for Ohio State to stay aggressive in finding new ways to pay for these changes. Among them would be increased naming-rights opportunities across campus and a revised football season-ticket plan "that meets the needs for as many Buckeye fans as possible."
“To ensure the long-term success of our athletic programs, we are asking for the commitment and support of everyone who is part of Buckeye Nation,” Bjork wrote.
