Ohio State Athletics and JPMorganChase Announce Landmark Partnership
7/28/2026 8:00:00 AM | General
COLUMBUS, Ohio (July 2026) – Ohio State Athletics today announced a landmark partnership with JPMorganChase, uniting a global leader in education, research and athletics with the global leader in financial services. The agreement, JPMorganChase's first in college athletics, designates Chase as the official bank sponsor of Ohio State Athletics and the new jersey patch partner across Ohio State's 36 men's and women's varsity programs. The investment also provides new resources to support Ohio State student-athletes through NIL opportunities, enhances the Buckeyes' overall competitive success, and facilitates academic partnerships across the university.
"JPMorganChase is a global brand with deep roots in Ohio, making them a natural partner that shares our commitment to innovation, excellence and long-term community impact," said Ross Bjork, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director at Ohio State. "Together, we have built a comprehensive and historic partnership that reflects the strong commercial strength of the Ohio State Athletics identity and the broader college athletics landscape. This relationship creates meaningful opportunities for our student-athletes that support the sustained excellence and competitiveness of our athletic programs, while honoring the tradition and values of Ohio State."
The comprehensive partnership between Ohio State and JPMorganChase is centered on enhancing the student-athlete experience, with a strong emphasis on financial education, student-athlete financial councils, career development, and long-term personal success. Through dedicated programming, student-athletes will have access to financial literacy resources, advisory support, and tools designed to prepare them for life beyond competition.
"Ohio State leads the way in college athletics, and we're proud to support the student-athletes and fans who power that tradition," said Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking. "From financial education and resources for student-athletes to exclusive fan experiences and gameday offers, this partnership brings Chase's unique capabilities to the Ohio State community—on campus, in the stands and beyond."
The partnership builds on JPMorganChase's deep and longstanding relationship with central Ohio and Ohio State, spanning student engagement, financial education, commercial banking, career pathways and athletics. Through its established presence across campus and a growing early-careers pipeline that has brought more than 1,700 Ohio State University alumni to the firm over the past five years, JPMorganChase is helping create opportunities that extend well beyond athletics. Ongoing academic collaborations include classroom presentations, mentorships, scholarships, internships, and career fairs.
"Ohio State is a driving force in Columbus, and this partnership is another way we're demonstrating our commitment to the people and places we serve," said Becky Griffin, Columbus Location Leader at JPMorganChase. "With 18,000 employees in central Ohio and more than 155 years in Ohio, we're proud to build on our longstanding relationship with the university, supporting student engagement, financial education and career pathways that create opportunity beyond the game."
The partnership will enhance the fan experience across Ohio State Athletics through expanded branding at Ohio Stadium and the Schottenstein Center, JPMorganChase's role as presenting sponsor of the new 1922 Club, and exclusive new cardholder benefits. These benefits include access to special ticket offers, gameday savings, premium experiences and other opportunities designed to deepen fans' connection to the Buckeyes.
This agreement was facilitated in collaboration with University and Athletics Leadership and Learfield's Ohio State Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Ohio State Athletics. "As JPMorganChase's first investment in college athletics, this partnership speaks to both the power of the Buckeyes brand and the power of storytelling within college sports," said Cole Gahagan, CEO of Learfield. "We are proud to facilitate such a significant pairing of two powerhouse, global brands and are thrilled to work with Ross, Ohio State, and JPMorganChase to bring it to life."
About Ohio State Athletics
The Ohio State University Department of Athletics is one of the most visible, respected and accomplished programs in the nation, operating as a self-sustaining unit, receiving no university funds, tax dollars or student fees. The department is home to approximately 1,000 student-athletes and to 36 scholarship, varsity sports with a commitment to excellence in both academics and competition. Recognized as one of the most successful and visible programs in collegiate athletics, Ohio State boasts a global fan base of more than 12 million. The storied Buckeye football program has claimed nine national championships and 39 Big Ten Conference titles, highlighting a tradition of sustained excellence. Across all sports, Ohio State has won 94 team national championships, reflecting broad-based competitive success as Ohio State finished 10th in the most recent Learfield Director's Cup standings.
About JPMorganChase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America ("U.S."), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $5.0 trillion in assets and $375 billion in stockholders' equity as of June 30, 2026. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.
About Learfield
Learfield is the media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
"JPMorganChase is a global brand with deep roots in Ohio, making them a natural partner that shares our commitment to innovation, excellence and long-term community impact," said Ross Bjork, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director at Ohio State. "Together, we have built a comprehensive and historic partnership that reflects the strong commercial strength of the Ohio State Athletics identity and the broader college athletics landscape. This relationship creates meaningful opportunities for our student-athletes that support the sustained excellence and competitiveness of our athletic programs, while honoring the tradition and values of Ohio State."
The comprehensive partnership between Ohio State and JPMorganChase is centered on enhancing the student-athlete experience, with a strong emphasis on financial education, student-athlete financial councils, career development, and long-term personal success. Through dedicated programming, student-athletes will have access to financial literacy resources, advisory support, and tools designed to prepare them for life beyond competition.
"Ohio State leads the way in college athletics, and we're proud to support the student-athletes and fans who power that tradition," said Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking. "From financial education and resources for student-athletes to exclusive fan experiences and gameday offers, this partnership brings Chase's unique capabilities to the Ohio State community—on campus, in the stands and beyond."
The partnership builds on JPMorganChase's deep and longstanding relationship with central Ohio and Ohio State, spanning student engagement, financial education, commercial banking, career pathways and athletics. Through its established presence across campus and a growing early-careers pipeline that has brought more than 1,700 Ohio State University alumni to the firm over the past five years, JPMorganChase is helping create opportunities that extend well beyond athletics. Ongoing academic collaborations include classroom presentations, mentorships, scholarships, internships, and career fairs.
"Ohio State is a driving force in Columbus, and this partnership is another way we're demonstrating our commitment to the people and places we serve," said Becky Griffin, Columbus Location Leader at JPMorganChase. "With 18,000 employees in central Ohio and more than 155 years in Ohio, we're proud to build on our longstanding relationship with the university, supporting student engagement, financial education and career pathways that create opportunity beyond the game."
The partnership will enhance the fan experience across Ohio State Athletics through expanded branding at Ohio Stadium and the Schottenstein Center, JPMorganChase's role as presenting sponsor of the new 1922 Club, and exclusive new cardholder benefits. These benefits include access to special ticket offers, gameday savings, premium experiences and other opportunities designed to deepen fans' connection to the Buckeyes.
This agreement was facilitated in collaboration with University and Athletics Leadership and Learfield's Ohio State Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Ohio State Athletics. "As JPMorganChase's first investment in college athletics, this partnership speaks to both the power of the Buckeyes brand and the power of storytelling within college sports," said Cole Gahagan, CEO of Learfield. "We are proud to facilitate such a significant pairing of two powerhouse, global brands and are thrilled to work with Ross, Ohio State, and JPMorganChase to bring it to life."
About Ohio State Athletics
The Ohio State University Department of Athletics is one of the most visible, respected and accomplished programs in the nation, operating as a self-sustaining unit, receiving no university funds, tax dollars or student fees. The department is home to approximately 1,000 student-athletes and to 36 scholarship, varsity sports with a commitment to excellence in both academics and competition. Recognized as one of the most successful and visible programs in collegiate athletics, Ohio State boasts a global fan base of more than 12 million. The storied Buckeye football program has claimed nine national championships and 39 Big Ten Conference titles, highlighting a tradition of sustained excellence. Across all sports, Ohio State has won 94 team national championships, reflecting broad-based competitive success as Ohio State finished 10th in the most recent Learfield Director's Cup standings.
About JPMorganChase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America ("U.S."), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $5.0 trillion in assets and $375 billion in stockholders' equity as of June 30, 2026. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.
About Learfield
Learfield is the media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
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