Ohio State NIL collective faces backlash for Michigan partnership

One of the Ohio State football team's NIL collective, The 1870 Society, recently made a controversial decision that left many fans angry and confused. The collective announced a joint fundraising campaign with Michigan’s NIL collective, which many see as a shocking move considering the fierce rivalry between the two schools. This “NIL Rivalry Raise” was promoted as a competition to raise funds for both schools' student-athletes, with exclusive memorabilia and football fan experiences up for grabs.

While The 1870 Society clarified that all money donated by Ohio State football fans would go directly to Ohio State athletes, fans were still upset. They couldn’t believe that one of their own collectives would be “teaming up” with Michigan in any capacity. For Buckeye fans, the rivalry with Michigan is sacred, and many saw this partnership as crossing a line.

In the announcement, The 1870 Society tried to highlight the competitive aspect, framing it as another way to defeat Michigan. However, the backlash came quickly. Fans expressed their frustration, with many calling the partnership “gross” and questioning how anyone involved thought it was a good idea. One fan even threatened to stop donating to The 1870 Society and instead give money to a different Ohio State NIL collective, The Foundation.

Despite the collective’s attempt to explain that Ohio State donations would stay within the program, fans remained unconvinced. They argued that even acknowledging Michigan in a shared fundraising effort could inadvertently help their rivals. To them, any motivation for Michigan fans to donate more was a bad thing, and many felt this partnership only encouraged Michigan’s success in the NIL landscape.

Even when some fans defended the campaign, pointing out that the competition could be another way to “defeat” Michigan, the general consensus remained negative. Many Ohio State supporters feel that their NIL situation is already strong, and there’s no need to give Michigan any extra momentum. The core of their frustration? Anything that could even slightly benefit Michigan, especially coming from Ohio State’s own collective, feels like a betrayal of the rivalry.

In the end, the backlash over the partnership shows just how deep the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry runs. For many fans, teaming up with the enemy—even for charity or a competition—crosses a line that shouldn’t be blurred.