Oregon State University deputy athletic director Brent Blaylock has been terminated, and the deal he negotiated with sports marketing agency Blueprint to run the Beavers’ NIL program isn’t far behind.
According to Oregon Live, Oregon State is reevaluating the costly partnership with Blueprint after parting ways with Blaylock. Blaylock has only worked as the deputy athletic director since 2024, and overseeing NIL was a large portion of his job function. The university did not provide a specific reason for the termination.
Blaylock originally partnered with Blueprint to acquire Dam Nation — the Beavers’ NIL collective, following the House v. NCAA lawsuit. Overall, the athletics department described Blueprint’s role as a “small piece” of the total NIL landscape in Beaverton.
However, as reported by Sports Illustrated, the services agreement with Blueprint was leaked to the public earlier this month, inviting “scrutiny” from Beavers fans and community members.
In the leaked documents, it is stated that Oregon State athletics would pay Blueprint an annual management fee of roughly $280,000 per year. On top of that, Blueprint would “retain 75% of the Net Direct Revenue earned above the fundraising target and below $1,150,000 for the Contract Year. BPSE retains 50% of the Net Direct Revenue at or above $1,150,000.”
The fundraising target agreed upon by Oregon State and Blueprint was $750,000. This agreement would have seen Oregon State losing out on at least $300,000, and upwards from that amount if more than the stated $1,150,000 was earned each year.
When his termination was announced by the university, Blaylock said in a statement, “I am proud of all that we accomplished during my time at Oregon State, including supporting coaches and student-athletes as they achieved great success. I value the relationships that I built with the incredible coaches, staff, and student-athletes, as well as the many donors that make OSU a special place. I’ve decided now is the right time to step away from my current role and transition to the next opportunity. I look forward to what’s to come.”
