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Nationwide and OSU press conference tomorrow!

jwinslow said:
it probably is but still makes me grimace at the thought of changing our uniforms at all.
No change. They announced it at skull session about 3 times last year and once or twice at a game. The band needed new (read: newly purchased/same style, not 'new' style) uniforms. Their current set was a few decades old, and the Head Seamstress did about all she could the season before to keep them around for one more go.

So, the long and short of it, is exactly the same traditional tbdbitl uniforms, just a new set of them.
 
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good to hear. I was hoping that's what it meant, but new is always a dangerous word in terms of uniforms. Thankfully, when it comes to football, our uniforms evolve but still look the same.
 
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Maybe I'm catching up to this story late, but I can't believe this thread got buried so fast. Or maybe it's being discussed elsewhere and I missed it (if so feel free to move this post).

I think this is a major coup for Gene Smith. $200,000 or so per year for the next 10 years is nothing to sneeze at. This is an all-win no-lose deal (what do we give them--signage rights--a far cry from naming rights). What do we get? New uniforms for the band in year one? Uniforms faithful to tradition. Anyone opposed to that? And then a continuing flow of money for similar purposes for nine more years. Money is targeted for "olympic sports" and "support areas" (eg, like the band). That means two things, both of which are good (IMHO): 1) the "non-revenue" sports get a substantial boost in revenue: and 2) Nationwide stays out of football and basketball (except for those signage rights).

The boards were just sure the worst was about to happen. Then when something good happens, the boards go silent. Go figure.
 
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FCollinsBuckeye said:
Uh oh, Holbrook's evil plan is coming to fruition...

:paranoid:
I also noticed that one damn word was missing from the phrase describing the band.

But I've had Nationwide insurance for years. I guess now I'm supporting their support.

And yes, I've been called a 'supporter' for decades. :biggrin:
 
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If $200K, it's a pittance for the monster insurance corporation. In a way, laughable. Note corporation's upper management salaries. For the cost of a medium upper manager (salary, benefits, retirement, etc.), the corporation gets magnificent exposure to midwest market.

No big deal, but if Smith carved out this contract, he's got an open invitation to my local poker game.
 
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SanClementeBuck said:
If $200K, it's a pittance for the monster insurance corporation. In a way, laughable. Note corporation's upper management salaries. For the cost of a medium upper manager (salary, benefits, retirement, etc.), the corporation gets magnificent exposure to midwest market.

No big deal, but if Smith carved out this contract, he's got an open invitation to my local poker game.

So you would say $200K is something to sneeze at. BTW, that's the minimum figure (the publicly stated terms are "multi-million" over 10 years). I suspect money like that matters, especially for the Olympic sport an support budget.

You do bring up a good point on exec compensation. In addition to signage, they get "ticket preferences." That means, at least, a luxury box. It does gall that the corporate execs will enjoy this executive perk without having to come out of their own personal pocket like you and I. The company paid for the execs to sit in their luxury box while hundreds or thousands of Nationwide employees bought C-Deck tickets out of their own pocket.

Still, all in all, Gene Smith got a good deal. Whatever the true value, it is more than State Farm was willing to offer for continued sponsorship. And, he brought the home town insurance company back home.
 
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Here is the official Nationwide article on our intranet...


Sponsorship connects the Scarlet & Gray and Blue

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="98%">Nationwide and Ohio State enter 10-year partnership

Before anyone chokes on that stadium hot dog, no, Ohio State and Michigan haven't formed an alliance.

But the relationship announced Monday at Ohio Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University further connects two brand traditions: Nationwide's blue frame logo, and the Buckeyes' Scarlet & Gray.

The OSU Athletic Department accepted a 10-year agreement that positions Nationwide as a primary corporate sponsor of OSU's 36 varsity athletic programs and the marching band.

"We find it very fitting that Ohio's home financial institution sponsors Ohio's home team," says Amy Shore, regional vice president for Nationwide's Ohio and West Virginia insurance operations. "Ohio State and Nationwide have a long history of serving the community."




</TD><TD width=10> </TD><TD vAlign=top width=350>
OSU_sponsorship.jpg

(l to r) Ohio State women's ice hockey Coach Jackie Bartow, OSU Marching Band Director Dr. Jon Woods, Nationwide's Amy Shore and OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith in Ohio Stadium

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="98%"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=10 width="95%" bgColor=#cccccc border=1><TBODY><TR><TD>The agreement includes:

  • A 10-year commitment through 2015
  • Sponsorship exclusivity at all Ohio State athletic events in our corporate category (auto, life, fire/casualty insurance companies)
  • Signage on the main and auxiliary scoreboards in Ohio Stadium. This complements a prior agreement that provides signage on the scoreboards for all events in the Schottenstein Center
  • Nationwide name and logo on the back of all varsity sports tickets, including football and men's and women's basketball
  • Nationwide name and logo on all varsity sports schedule cards and posters
  • Sponsorship of the annual spring football game in Ohio Stadium
  • Sponsorship of the Block "O" student card section during football games
  • Presenting sponsorship of the Buckeye Championship Sports Tour that promotes OSU's varsity sports programs
  • Sponsorship of the OSU Marching Band, to include signage in St. John Arena during home football pre-game Skull Sessions
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

</TD><TD width=10> </TD><TD vAlign=top>OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith, speaking before a gathering of OSU and Nationwide representatives and Columbus print and television media, thanked Nationwide for its continued outreach to Ohio State and to the central Ohio community.

"Nationwide has been a great partner to Ohio State and to the community for many years. This is a win-win partnership because we share the same values and missions," Smith says.

Turning to members of the OSU Marching Band present for the announcement, Smith says, "Nationwide is helping these young people have the greatest experience they can have. Nationwide impacts a lot of areas on this campus – the band, athletics and the university."

Nationwide sponsored the band at its Skull Sessions during the 2004 season. The continued support will finance the purchase of new uniforms for the 225-student member organization, known as The Best Damn Band In The Land (TBDBITL).



</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>The band's trip to the Oct. 8 Penn State game will be financed through the agreement. Nationwide also has a sponsorship agreement with Penn State athletics, although on a smaller scale.

"What Nationwide has done for these students and this organization goes beyond anyone's expectations," says Dr. Jon Woods, director of the band. "This band has a presence not just here in Columbus, but state-wide and nationally. In that respect, the band and Nationwide are perfect partners."

Nationwide and Ohio State have also been partners on the academic side for decades. OSU professors teach classes at Nationwide and Nationwide associates attend classes at Ohio State's Max M. Fisher School of Business.

"We've partnered on improving diversity programs at both institutions and providing scholarships to allow more students the opportunity to experience what it means to be a Buckeye and wear the scarlet and gray," Shore says.

And now, Nationwide blue.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
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