OSU basketball players Sheldon, Thierry growing their NIL game

The NCAA greenlighted the game-changing rule Name, Image, Likeness in 2021, and in its first two years, college athletes are earning millions of dollars in personal income.

According to On3, Ohio State star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.’s NIL valuation is listed at $1.2 million. However, other athletes are still learning how to get in the game.

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Ohio State women’s basketball standouts Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Thierry were picked to attend an NIL Summit in Atlanta on June 3. Sheldon said she has done “a little bit” with NIL, while Thierry is still warming up to the space. The two built their skillset by learning from other athletes at the event who have teamed up with businesses to profit off their hard work.

“It was cool to hear the experience of athletes who have a lot of followers on social media, and seeing how they deal with their platforms and how brands have helped athletes increase their personal brands, and also how we can benefit other brands or business,” Thierry said. “I think it was a great opportunity and experience for us to expand our knowledge and NIL and what is has to offer for us.”

However, Thierry and Sheldon still approach NIL with a team mentality. The two look to support their fans and give back to the community using NIL. Seven-year-old Ohio State fan Landon is living with a rare genetic disorder that “aggressively stops all abilities and brain function over time,” according to landonacure.org. In January, the team signed a deal with Cohesion to support the LandOn A Cure Foundation, welcoming the family to their game against Purdue to help raise awareness toward Landon’s mission. The team has since developed a growing relationship with the family.

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“I think a big part of it (NIL) is giving back,” Sheldon said. “(Landon’s family) had a party, we went to the park with him once, we’ve been to the skating rink with him. That part of NIL has been very cool. It’s been a great experience for us.”

While Sheldon and Thierry use the knowledge they gained at the conference, the two are back in the lab. Sheldon said the majority of the team is back on campus and back in the gym for summer workouts.

“I think in general we were just so excited to see each other,” Sheldon said. “A lot of us hadn’t seen each other since the end of our season. We’re already in the gym, starting to practice against each other and compete. We have a really good group so I’m excited to see what we can do.”

Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are on sale now. The program saw an increase in ticket sales last year following a season that ended in an Elite Eight appearance. According to Ohio State, the program saw a 70% increase in attendance per game last season and the highest attendance rate since the 2005-06 season. OSU Women's Basketball ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten and No. 11 nationally in attendance.