OU announces Sooner Sports Properties, 1Oklahoma merger

11 hours ago 3

OU athletics announced Tuesday that 1Oklahoma and Sooner Sports Properties are merging to form a unified NIL entity for the University of Oklahoma.

The combined organization will continue to operate under the 1Oklahoma name, but will now be run by Sooner Sports Properties, a local division of Learfield. OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said the move is designed to streamline NIL efforts and make it easier for sponsors and donors to get involved while being backed by a larger parent organization.

"Centralizing efforts through our trusted partner, Learfield/Sooner Sports Properties, allows us to immediately expand what we already have in place and deliver pioneering NIL opportunities that build long-term value for our athletes and our program," Castiglione said.

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Learfield, a collegiate sports marketing firm specializing in multimedia rights, marketing, data analytics and NIL management, partners with more than 130 colleges nationwide, including 43 Power 4 programs.

1Oklahoma named Bobby Nash, former deputy athletic director of external engagement at Utah State, as the entity's new director of NIL revenue and activation. Nash has also held external roles at OU and the University of Colorado before going to Utah.

From 2014 to 2019, Nash held marketing and community relations roles within OU athletics. He developed plans for sports such as wrestling and tennis, managed an $85,000 budget and oversaw the RUF/NEKS and Lil Sis spirit programs. As director of community relations, he led fan programs such as Sooner Jr. and F.A.N.S., coordinated sponsor activations, managed men’s basketball game production and built strong community partnerships through outreach and service initiatives.

"OU has played a deeply meaningful role in my life and career, and I'm thrilled to contribute to the unified NIL strategy that will create long-term value for our student-athletes, brand partners and the university," Nash said. "Oklahoma's tradition of excellence is unmatched, and I look forward to building impactful, authentic partnerships that elevate the NIL experience."

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The Sooner Sports Properties team will focus on expanding partnerships and generating new NIL opportunities for both student-athletes and the university, according to Sooner Sports.

Sooner Sports Properties will also utilize Learfield's Impact NIL services and Compass platform, which helps connect athletes with national and local brand sponsors.

Sooner Sports Properties has already helped student athletes form partnerships with companies like Fowler Automotive, State Farm, Devon Energy and Planet Fitness.

1Oklahoma previously served as the university’s in-house NIL collective and helped raise money for the school's NIL fund through a subscription-based model that will remain in place.

Memberships start at $15.15 and range up to $950 for the highest subscription, which offers complete access to exclusive content and OU athletics events.

This story was edited by Natalie Armour and Parker Coyne.

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