Tag: The Foundation

Mike Conley joins growing list of former Ohio State players to donate to NIL collective

Conley is a Buckeye for life. #GoBucks

Since Ohio State athletics continually pumps out professional athletes, it should not surprise anyone when those same athletes to give back to their alma mater.

Current Houston Texans and former star quarterback C.J. Stroud made a donation to The Foundation, one of the Buckeyes Name, Image and Likeness collectives. On Thursday, it was announced that another former Ohio State star has done the same, current Minnesota Timberwolves guard [autotag]Mike Conley Jr.[/autotag]

After nearly winning a national championship with the Buckeyes, he was selected in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft, pick No. 4 by the Memphis Grizzles. Conley has had a fantastic career and now will give back to his former home.

Like Stroud, Conley gave a big donation to The Foundation, showing he still cares about Ohio State athletics. After all, once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye.

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C.J. Stroud is helping Ohio State stay competitive in the new world of college athletics

C.J. Stroud just became a platinum donor! #GoBucks

Welcome to the new world of college athletics. Name, image and likeness have changed the landscape of what was formerly amateur sports. Universities now have to be able to put together a competitive financial package to get athletes on campus as well as keep them for the duration of their college careers.

Ryan Day told us it would take a minimum of $13 million a year to keep the Buckeyes competitive. Ohio State has seen its fair share of recruits get snatched away because another school offered a bigger bag, as well as players entering the transfer portal looking for greener pastures. But it seems OSU has awoken from its slumber.

The Buckeyes have made a splash in recent weeks with the additions of some of the best players in the portal like Caleb Downs, Julian Sayin, and Quinshon Judkins. However, to keep that pace up, Ohio State has to replenish its cash reserves and now it looks like former players are getting in on the action.

One of OSU’s collectives, “The Foundation,” announced today that C.J. Stroud became the first former student-athlete partner to become a major donor. The Foundation did not say exactly how much Stroud gave but did list him as a Platinum Donor. A quick search on The Foundation’s website shows a Platinum Donor gives between $50,000 and $100,000.

Anyone can be part of the effort to keep Ohio State competitive when it comes to NIL deals. We still like the idea of making a donation in the name of a friend who is a fan of an opposing school. What better way to support your school and get a little dig in at your rival?

Either way, C.J. Stroud is leading the way. After finishing one of the greatest NFL rookie quarterback seasons of all time, Stroud recognizes that without OSU he may not be where he is today. And now he’s saying thank you by allowing others to follow in his footsteps.

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Find out which Ohio State experiences are available from ‘The Foundation’ menu

There are multiple fan experiences to choose from, which interests you? #GoBucks

Name, Image, and Likeness has changed the game for many college programs including [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag].

Not only are players getting compensated, but there are also routes for more interactions with them, coaches, and support staff. That has brought collectives to the forefront and ‘The Foundation‘ is one of a few that is associated with Ohio State.

They have multiple collaborations with the university and their most recent one is having an experience menu for Buckeye fans. There are more than a few options for people to choose from and they aren’t cheap.

Some of the experiences seem like a blast, which include a private tour of the Woody Hayes facility, walking with the team from St. John Arena to Ohio Stadium, and a tour of the Schottenstein Center along with watching a practice.

‘The Foundation’ has given Ohio State fans an opportunity to experience much more than a game day would normally be, but at an extreme cost for most. To me it’s like adult Disneyland, it’s a one-time event that you can cherish for a lifetime.

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Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Michael Chen on Twitter.