In the sports world, fans like nothing more than a big win in their team’s favor. For the sports organizations, a big win means more value. For college teams, a big win means big news for the college as well as the team. Luckily for Ohio State, its football team made the biggest win of all time. On January 12, 2015, Ohio State literally made history. Not only is the team the first to win the College Football Playoff National Championship, but the circumstances behind the win makes the team more remarkable.
Labeled as the underdogs, predictions indicated that the Buckeyes would lose by six points. After all, they were working under their third-string quarterback, Cardale Jones. Having only played two games the entire season to this point, the odds were against him. However Jones proved strong under pressure, winning the game with his teammates at the tune of 42-20 over the Oregon Ducks.
Not only do the Buckeyes enjoy bragging rights as the first-ever College Football Playoff National Champions, but their win means big value in many ways. Since the hype and the actual win of the national championship, several of the country’s top-ranked recruits committed to the Buckeyes. The Empire State Building lit up with Ohio State colors after the win. The win landed Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer on the Late Show with David Letterman. Predictions indicate that Ohio State is already at 5-1 betting odds for winning the 2015 championship game. The team was honored during a Cleveland Cavaliers game on January 19. And the accolades, recognition, and excitement just keep coming.
What does all this mean? It means that the constant positive exposure makes Ohio State’s value climb. It’s no secret that successful sports programs and positive publicity provide great marketing opportunities to their overall organizations. Just days after the win, fans scrambled to purchase the newest products plastered with national championship recognition. As already mentioned, the hype helped to solidify the commitments of future team prospects. Fans will continue to pay big bucks for game tickets. Full of pride, alumni may increase donations. Even before the big win, the football team ranked as the most valuable college football team at $1.1 billion. Since no other college had ever reached the $1 billion mark, this valuation is another first in history attached to Ohio State. It will be interesting to see how this number changes with the recent win.
It is likely that Ohio State will continue to be the rage in college football throughout the year. With a young team, three starting quarterbacks, and top-ranked recruits on the horizon, Ohio State currently seems unstoppable. Fans and competitors alike will eagerly watch to see how the team fares. In the meantime, the team is rightfully basking in the limelight as undisputed national champions and the most valuable team in college football.