In a landmark move, the Ohio State women’s basketball team has secured a season-long NIL sponsorship with Elk + Elk, an Ohio personal injury law firm. This partnership is the first of its kind in the history of Ohio State athletics.
The partnership aims to highlight the importance of each team member's contribution to the collective success, a press release from Elk + Elk stated. The deal includes various promotional strategies such as in-arena content, social media campaigns and a unique interview segment named “Full Court Press,” which will feature individual players.
“This resonates perfectly with our internal philosophy regarding every member of our team playing a pivotal role in every legal matter,” Elk + Elk managing partner Jay Kelley said, via Jeremy Crabtree of On3. “‘Every Client. Every Day.’ mandates acknowledging every player.”
Ohio State women’s basketball coach, Kevin McGuff, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, recognizing the potential impact and opportunity it represents for the program.
“This is a great opportunity for our team,” McGuff said.
This agreement comes on the heels of individual Ohio State players already making significant strides in the NIL landscape, with Cotie McMahon and Jacy Sheldon, among others, having already engaged in personal NIL deals due to their impressive performances and social media following. McMahon, recognized as a preseason AP All-American honorable mention and a Cheryl Miller Award watch list member, and Sheldon, an AP honorable mention All-American and a leader in Ohio State career records, have leveraged their athletic prominence into successful NIL deals with various brands.
The relationship between Elk + Elk and Ohio State Athletics is managed by Ohio State Sports Properties, a branch of LEARFIELD, which does not represent student-athletes directly but aids in maximizing their sponsorship agreements with corporate partners. This includes integrating NIL programs and university branding as part of the deals.