• Loading stock data...
Saturday, November 15, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Million-Dollar Bonuses to $2 Hot Dogs: The Big Money of Ohio State’s Title

Ohio State has a $20 million roster and a $285 million athletic department, and its title win earned millions more.

Ryan Day
The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State captured its first football national title in a decade Monday night, beating Notre Dame 34–23 in Atlanta. 

The game concluded the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. The Dec. 20 start meant first-round games on college campuses and games occasionally bumping up against NFL territory.

The victory came with plenty of financial rewards. Here are the numbers to know from Monday’s result: 

$1 million: Total bonuses earned by Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day for winning the national title. Day earned $500,000 for Monday night’s win alone, but combined with his other postseason incentives, hits seven figures to add to his $10 million salary 

$700,000: Total bonuses earned by Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly for the team’s performance this year. The CFP win netted him another $100,000 under a contract that gives up a 5% bonus for a title win; Kelly’s base salary is $2 million. Day’s 10 assistant coaches each qualified for six-figure bonuses 

$770,000: OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’s total bonus earnings, a slightly higher amount than Kelly’s due to his $2.2 million base salary 

$46 million: Total payout to the Big Ten, of which OSU is a member

$2.6 million: Amount paid out to each of the Big Ten’s 17 members for OSU winning the national title. The Buckeyes got the same amount as their peers (Notre Dame gets to keep the $20 million it made to itself because it’s not in a conference)

$20 million: Approximate cost of Ohio State’s entire roster in NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals 

$285–300 million: Ohio State’s annual athletics budget, which it says is the largest in the country

$4 million: ESPN color analyst Kirk Herbstreit’s annual salary with the network. Herbstreit, a former OSU quarterback, called the game for ESPN. Herbstreit’s broadcast partner, Chris Fowler, reportedly makes $3 million annually 

$1–$1.1 million: Cost of a 30-second advertisement on ESPN during the national championship game, according to Navigate Research 

$1.3 billion: Price ESPN pays annually to broadcast the entire 12-team College Football Playoff

$2,500: Average price per ticket sold for the title game, according to StubHub. The price range was from $1,740 to $6,287 

$50,000: Bonus Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork received for the Buckeyes making the title game. Bjork’s annual salary is $2 million annually 

$200: Lowest rate for a hotel room in the Atlanta area for Monday night 

$500: Price of a one-way ticket for a Southwest Airlines flight from Columbus to Atlanta on Monday

$2: Cost of a hot dog at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is known for its fan-friendly prices

$900 million: Price Mercedes-Benz paid for the naming rights to the stadium in 2015, two years before it opened 

This story has been updated.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Disney and Google Strike Deal to End ESPN YouTube TV Blackout

ESPN returns to the service in time for college football on Saturday.
Steph Curry

What’s Next for Under Armour and Steph Curry After Their Split?

Multiple college and pro athletes are with Curry Brand.
Nov 8, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Louisiana State Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) under pressure from Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Deontae Lawson (0) and defensive lineman Keon Keeley (31) during the second quarter of the game at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

College Football Viewership Increases Taper Off

A torrid viewership start to the season has slowed down in recent weeks.
Sailgating

‘Sailgating’: Inside Washington Football’s Tradition on the Water

The pregame experience can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Featured Today

exclusive

Track CEO Charged With Child Rape Passed USATF-Ordered Background Check

The track world didn’t know about the charges for nearly a year.
TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Resurfacing and painting of the new floor at McKale Center.
November 9, 2025

The Business of College Basketball’s Signature Courts

Signature floors are a creative—and increasingly expensive—corner of college sports.
Aug 6, 2025; Sandy, UT, USA; Queretaro defender Edson Partida (22) watches the ball during the second half of the game against Real Salt Lake at America First Field
November 8, 2025

Mexican Soccer Is the Next Frontier for American Investors

Liga MX is an appealing proposition with big potential upside.
G League
November 6, 2025

Is College Basketball About to Raid the G League?

Two G Leaguers have gone back to college. More could follow.
Ohio State Buckeyes and Northwestern Wildcats fans take in the second half of the NCAA football game at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. Ohio State won 31-7.

Northwestern’s New $862M Stadium Will Likely End Wrigley Field Games

Northwestern’s New Ryan Field is set to open next season.
Nov 8, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers interim head coach Robb Akey check the scoreboard during the second quarter against the Sam Houston Bearkats at Reser Stadium.
November 13, 2025

New-Look Pac-12 Adds USA Sports to Growing Broadcast Portfolio

It’s the latest step in the league’s remarkable rebuild.
Jul 18, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Baylor Bears interim president David E. Garland (right) and new athletic director Mack Rhoades (left) speak at a press conference during the Big 12 Media Days at Omni Dallas Hotel.
November 13, 2025

Baylor AD Takes ‘Leave of Absence,’ Steps Down From CFP Committee Role

Baylor conducted an investigation into potential misconduct by Rhoades.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

On Location is redefining the Olympic experience by creating lasting connections beyond the Games.
Florida Softball
November 11, 2025

NCAA Agrees to $303 Million Settlement With Volunteer Coaches

A similar lawsuit from baseball coaches was approved in September.
November 11, 2025

Kelly Suing LSU for Full $53M Buyout After Refusing Settlement Offers

The lawsuit alleges LSU thinks Kelly could be fired for cause.
Sep 27, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly reacts during the fourth quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
November 10, 2025

Brian Kelly Pushes LSU for $53M Buyout, Refuses Partial Offers

The coach has reportedly rejected settlement offers.
Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back King Miller (30) runs the ball against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
November 9, 2025

University Board Members Mount Opposition Campaign to Big Ten Investment Proposal 

“We’re weighing in on this horribly flawed process from the start.”