In a jaw-dropping twist that has college football reeling, the University of Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State University Buckeyes announced, the launch of the “Championship Alliance,” a groundbreaking joint Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) program designed to pool resources from their fierce rivals’ collectives. This unprecedented collaboration between Michigan’s Champions Circle and Ohio State’s The 1870 Society aims to create a $50 million annual fund for athlete development, branding, and infrastructure, marking the first time sworn enemies in one of the sport’s most heated rivalries have united for mutual gain. The announcement, made jointly via press conferences at Michigan Stadium and Ohio Stadium, has sparked a firestorm of fan backlash and speculation about the future of NIL in the Big Ten, with Athletic Directors Warde Manuel and Ross Bjork framing it as a “strategic alliance for the greater good of student-athletes.”
The Championship Alliance stems from a series of high-stakes negotiations that began in late August 2025, shortly after Michigan flipped five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood from LSU with an $12 million NIL deal backed by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Ohio State, fresh off their 2024 national championship but stung by recruiting losses like defensive lineman Carter Meadows to Michigan, sought a way to level the playing field without escalating a full-blown NIL arms race. The program merges elements of both collectives: Champions Circle’s focus on personalized marketing campaigns and direct-to-fan engagement (via partnerships like Passes for exclusive content subscriptions) with The 1870 Society’s emphasis on competitive fundraising events. Key initiatives include joint golf tournaments like the “Underdog Rivalry Cup,” co-hosted by WME Sports and Underdog Fantasy, featuring Ryder Cup-style matches between alumni captains (e.g., Jake Butt for Michigan and Bobby Carpenter for Ohio State) to raise funds for NIL deals. Proceeds will support cross-program scholarships, mental health resources, and infrastructure upgrades, such as shared AI-driven performance analytics tools.
At its core, the Alliance addresses the escalating costs of NIL in the post-House v. NCAA settlement era, where schools can now share up to $20-22 million annually in revenue with athletes starting in 2025-26. By collaborating, Michigan and Ohio State aim to cap spending at $25 million per school annually, avoiding the “bidding wars” that have plagued recruiting—exemplified by Underwood’s flip, which involved Ellison, Tom Brady, and Dave Portnoy. The program also includes a “rivalry rebate” clause, where donors contributing to one collective receive bonuses if their school defeats the other in the annual “Game,” preserving the competitive spirit. Manuel emphasized, “This isn’t about softening the rivalry—it’s about outsmarting it together for our athletes’ futures.”
Yet, the announcement has ignited a powder keg of controversy. Fans on both sides erupted in outrage on X, with Michigan supporters calling it a “betrayal of The Game” and Ohio State faithful labeling it “gross collaboration with the enemy.” One viral post threatened to redirect donations to alternative collectives like Michigan’s Team 146 or Ohio State’s The Foundation, accusing the Alliance of diluting rivalry purity. Critics, including Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, worry it could set a precedent for other rivals (e.g., Texas-Oklahoma) to form similar pacts, potentially fragmenting conference unity amid the NIL boom. Legal experts speculate antitrust challenges, as the collaboration might be seen as price-fixing in athlete compensation.
For the Wolverines, riding a 2-0 start with Underwood’s Big Ten award-winning debut, the Alliance arrives amid head coach Sherrone Moore’s suspension (ending post-Nebraska on September 20) and the $870 million Big House donation. Ohio State, leveraging their 2024 title, sees it as a way to sustain dominance without over-relying on in-house NIL like their $18 million reserve. As the October 25 “Game” looms, the Championship Alliance adds intrigue: will it fuel a fiercer rivalry or erode its edge? For now, it’s a high-stakes gamble in the NIL era, uniting foes for a common win.