ThomasCostello
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Sunday is a first-of-its kind NIL event for Ohio State women’s basketball and volleyball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
Learn more about the Bing-OH! event taking over the Covelli Center, and the work done behind the scenes to make it happen.
Since July 1, 2021, Name, Image and Likeness rules went live in the NCAA. NIL made, and is making, a monumental impact in the over three years it’s been part of the college sports landscapes. On the surface, its players getting paid to market themselves, like schools and the NCAA has done for ages.
Then there’s the world of NIL collectives.
Each collective in Columbus incentivizes supporting Ohio State. In return for joining, fans get the chance to partake in special events with players and coaches. For example, in 2022, Ryan Day had dinner with a select few fans at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse. More recently, 2024 offseason workouts were open to fans.
Add Ohio State women’s basketball to the list of Scarlet and Gray teams raising funds, and they aren’t alone.
On Sunday, Aug. 25, with the Buckeyes back after a break from summer conditioning, they’re joining Ohio State’s women’s volleyball team to give fans the chance to spend quality time with the athletes, and maybe walk away with an expensive accessory.
At the Covelli Center, players and staff from both teams are part of a 15 round “Bing-OH!” Bingo event. Eventgoers can win one of 15 prizes, including five luxury handbags. For senior guard/forward Taylor Thierry, who joined Ohio State soon after the implementation of NIL, Sunday is uncharted territory.
“It’s definitely different than what we’ve done in the past,” said senior guard/forward Taylor Thierry. “But I think it’s going to be more engaging and more exciting for people to contribute to.”
Tickets for the first women’s sports NIL event in school history start at $100. That gets the buyer a bingo card for all 15 rounds. The most expensive package is designed for businesses, set at $12,500. Not only does it pay for two tables of eight people for Sunday’s event, but ad space at Ohio State games and courtside seats to both the basketball and volleyball teams.
Regardless of the ticket cost level, increased NIL dollars aid recruitment of both high school and transfer talent. For players like Ajae Petty, who joins the Buckeyes as a graduate senior from the University of Kentucky, the bingo event is equivalent to diving into the deep end.
“It’ll be a way for us to engage with the fans and different things like that,” said Petty. “I’m new here, so this will be my first time getting to like check it out and figure out like what’s going on around here.”
Not only will Petty and her new Ohio State teammates be alongside fans, but those businesses who see the larger packages as a way to both support two women’s sports programs and promote their businesses.
Even though Petty is new, as a member of the basketball team both her and her teammates have resources to help those interactions they’ll have with businesses in attendance. The Eugene D. Smith Leadership Institute is one of the many resources setting players up for moments like Sunday.
While the money supports the basketball and volleyball teams, the skills practiced by the players at the event help them far beyond their time in Columbus. Skills the coaches helping lead the ground efforts are using to make the event a success.
Although the event is a combination of efforts between the 1870 Society NIL collective, Buckeyes Cruise for Cancer and Braxton Miller Foundation, assistant coach Jalen Powell has put in the work.
“I know for me specifically, I have reached out to a lot of local owned female businesses,” said Powell. “They have been great as far as either donating something for our silent auction or saying that they’re going to purchase a ticket to come.”
Bing-OH! being a first of its kind event comes with a touch of the fear of the unknown for organizers. Will something like this work? Is there an audience?
With five days remaining before Sunday’s bingo games, ticket sales are strong, which comes as no surprise. After all, Ohio State ranked ninth in the country in home attendance for NCAA women’s basketball in the 2023-24 season. Plus, a program single-game high 18,660 people in a Jan. 21 home win over the then No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes.
The more eyes on women’s sports as a whole, combined with the success of the 2023-24 Big Ten regular season championship winning Buckeyes, means a lot new fans are likely going to be in attendance Sunday. It’ll be the closest some fans have been to their favorite student athletes.
“Some lady I know that I actually do Pilates with bought a ticket, and she was like ‘hey like are the girls going to be there?’ I’m like yeah like you could go up and talk to them and have a whole conversation,” said assistant coach Jalen Powell. “Just having that real intimate moment to give you that overall experience.”
After the event is over, it’ll be over two months until fans can see the Buckeyes pick out passes instead of bingo balls. This season, Thierry and Petty are upperclassmen on a roster featuring only a few Ohio State veterans like guard Madison Greene and forwards Cotie McMahon and Eboni Walker.
There’s also a heavy contingent of new names. Transfer guard Chance Gray heads back to her home state following two seasons with the Oregon Ducks. No. 2 overall high school prospect Jaloni Cambridge has the makings of a future Buckeyes star. Cambridge is in a group of five incoming freshman, all hoping to make their mark early in their collegiate careers.
For the returning players, seeing Ohio State fans show their support is nothing new. For those new names, it’s a few hours to show the strength of those who support the Buckeyes, and have for decades.
“Feeling that love from our fans that we want to make proud coming in another way, rather than coming to a game,” said Powell. “It’s actually so special, there’s no other words to describe it.”
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
Learn more about the Bing-OH! event taking over the Covelli Center, and the work done behind the scenes to make it happen.
Since July 1, 2021, Name, Image and Likeness rules went live in the NCAA. NIL made, and is making, a monumental impact in the over three years it’s been part of the college sports landscapes. On the surface, its players getting paid to market themselves, like schools and the NCAA has done for ages.
Then there’s the world of NIL collectives.
Each collective in Columbus incentivizes supporting Ohio State. In return for joining, fans get the chance to partake in special events with players and coaches. For example, in 2022, Ryan Day had dinner with a select few fans at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse. More recently, 2024 offseason workouts were open to fans.
Add Ohio State women’s basketball to the list of Scarlet and Gray teams raising funds, and they aren’t alone.
On Sunday, Aug. 25, with the Buckeyes back after a break from summer conditioning, they’re joining Ohio State’s women’s volleyball team to give fans the chance to spend quality time with the athletes, and maybe walk away with an expensive accessory.
At the Covelli Center, players and staff from both teams are part of a 15 round “Bing-OH!” Bingo event. Eventgoers can win one of 15 prizes, including five luxury handbags. For senior guard/forward Taylor Thierry, who joined Ohio State soon after the implementation of NIL, Sunday is uncharted territory.
“It’s definitely different than what we’ve done in the past,” said senior guard/forward Taylor Thierry. “But I think it’s going to be more engaging and more exciting for people to contribute to.”
BUCKEYE BAG BING-OH
Join us on August 25th from 2-5 PM at the Covelli Center for an afternoon of prizes, fun, and to support your favorite teams
We hope to see you there & appreciate all the support Buckeye Nation, buy your seat or table now ️
https://t.co/XNWqlgGBn7 pic.twitter.com/z7gDTc4Eyb
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) July 9, 2024
Tickets for the first women’s sports NIL event in school history start at $100. That gets the buyer a bingo card for all 15 rounds. The most expensive package is designed for businesses, set at $12,500. Not only does it pay for two tables of eight people for Sunday’s event, but ad space at Ohio State games and courtside seats to both the basketball and volleyball teams.
Regardless of the ticket cost level, increased NIL dollars aid recruitment of both high school and transfer talent. For players like Ajae Petty, who joins the Buckeyes as a graduate senior from the University of Kentucky, the bingo event is equivalent to diving into the deep end.
“It’ll be a way for us to engage with the fans and different things like that,” said Petty. “I’m new here, so this will be my first time getting to like check it out and figure out like what’s going on around here.”
Not only will Petty and her new Ohio State teammates be alongside fans, but those businesses who see the larger packages as a way to both support two women’s sports programs and promote their businesses.
Even though Petty is new, as a member of the basketball team both her and her teammates have resources to help those interactions they’ll have with businesses in attendance. The Eugene D. Smith Leadership Institute is one of the many resources setting players up for moments like Sunday.
While the money supports the basketball and volleyball teams, the skills practiced by the players at the event help them far beyond their time in Columbus. Skills the coaches helping lead the ground efforts are using to make the event a success.
Although the event is a combination of efforts between the 1870 Society NIL collective, Buckeyes Cruise for Cancer and Braxton Miller Foundation, assistant coach Jalen Powell has put in the work.
“I know for me specifically, I have reached out to a lot of local owned female businesses,” said Powell. “They have been great as far as either donating something for our silent auction or saying that they’re going to purchase a ticket to come.”
Bing-OH! being a first of its kind event comes with a touch of the fear of the unknown for organizers. Will something like this work? Is there an audience?
With five days remaining before Sunday’s bingo games, ticket sales are strong, which comes as no surprise. After all, Ohio State ranked ninth in the country in home attendance for NCAA women’s basketball in the 2023-24 season. Plus, a program single-game high 18,660 people in a Jan. 21 home win over the then No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes.
The more eyes on women’s sports as a whole, combined with the success of the 2023-24 Big Ten regular season championship winning Buckeyes, means a lot new fans are likely going to be in attendance Sunday. It’ll be the closest some fans have been to their favorite student athletes.
“Some lady I know that I actually do Pilates with bought a ticket, and she was like ‘hey like are the girls going to be there?’ I’m like yeah like you could go up and talk to them and have a whole conversation,” said assistant coach Jalen Powell. “Just having that real intimate moment to give you that overall experience.”
After the event is over, it’ll be over two months until fans can see the Buckeyes pick out passes instead of bingo balls. This season, Thierry and Petty are upperclassmen on a roster featuring only a few Ohio State veterans like guard Madison Greene and forwards Cotie McMahon and Eboni Walker.
There’s also a heavy contingent of new names. Transfer guard Chance Gray heads back to her home state following two seasons with the Oregon Ducks. No. 2 overall high school prospect Jaloni Cambridge has the makings of a future Buckeyes star. Cambridge is in a group of five incoming freshman, all hoping to make their mark early in their collegiate careers.
For the returning players, seeing Ohio State fans show their support is nothing new. For those new names, it’s a few hours to show the strength of those who support the Buckeyes, and have for decades.
“Feeling that love from our fans that we want to make proud coming in another way, rather than coming to a game,” said Powell. “It’s actually so special, there’s no other words to describe it.”
Continue reading...