A view of Ohio Stadium during a game against Penn State on Oct. 17 at Ohio Stadium OSU won 38-10. Credit: Samantha Hollingshead | Photo Editor For the second year in a row, the Ohio State Buckeyes have been named the most valuable football program in the NCAA. A study composed by Ryan Brewer, assistant professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University in Columbus, Indiana, valued the Scarlet and Gray at a whopping $946.6 million. Findings from the study first appeared in the Wall Street Journal. To put the figure in perspective, it nearly doubles the worth of the average NHL hockey team, which is about $505 million. In fact, the Scarlet and Gray are valued higher than every NHL team except for the New York Rangers ($1.2 billion), the Montreal Canadiens ($1.18 billion) and the Toronto Maple Leafs ($1.15 billion), according to Forbes Magazine. Astoundingly, the Buckeyes’ value is worth more than 19 of 30 NBA franchises as well, including the Oklahoma City Thunder ($930 million) and the Cleveland Cavaliers ($915 million), according to Forbes. OSU Vice President and athletic director Gene Smith said he believes Brewer’s numbers are accurate. Smith leaned toward several reasons why OSU is valued so high, but he primarily pointed to fan support. “We are the most watched (Football Bowl Subdivision) program since 1991,” Smith said in an email. …
Continue Reading: Ohio State football program nation’s most valuable for second straight year
