Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork joins Adam Breneman for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on leading one of the biggest brands in college sports.
The episode digs into his overlap with Gene Smith and the simple advice that set the tone, the confidential process behind landing the Ohio State job, and first impressions of Ryan Day’s leadership and locker-room culture.
Bjork explains Ohio State’s approach to revenue-sharing and NIL (name, image, and likeness), including how they allocated $18 million across sports, why the next arms race is building the NIL infrastructure itself, and how donor strategy and facilities now balance performance, recovery, and revenue generation. He also shares his view on the future of governance in college athletics, the College Sports Commission, potential federal legislation, and what smart playoff expansion could look like.
