Anduril sponsors Ohio State athletics, will present football miniseries

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Anduril, the company planning to bring 4,000 defense manufacturing jobs to Pickaway County, can now be seen across Ohio State's campus as an athletic sponsor.

Last week, Anduril announced its sponsorship and that it will also serve as the presenting sponsor of "Defend The 'Shoe," a 12-part original series about the team's efforts to repeat as national champion. Anduril partnered with Learfield, Ohio State athletics' sponsorship management company, for both the sponsorship and the upcoming series.

Anduril said the sponsorship is the next step in its investment into Ohio. The California-based defense systems company aims to start building drones and other aerial weapons near Rickenbacker Airport in July. Dubbed Arsenal-1, the $1 billion project will employ 4,000 Ohioans. See previous coverage of Arsenal-1 in the video player above.

A Learfield spokesperson said the trailer for "Defend The 'Shoe" will release on Wednesday, with the first episode debuting Friday before Ohio State's opener against Texas. The Learfield spokesperson said the series will be available on social media.

Anduril will be seen across Ohio Stadium, the Schottenstein Center and other athletic facilities. The agreement is a multi-year partnership, although Anduril did not announce how many years it will sponsor Ohio State athletics.

“Just as my alma mater Ohio State has shaped Ohio’s identity for more than a century, we intend for Anduril to be a durable community partner, creating jobs, mentoring young talent and delivering technology that keeps our nation secure," Zachary Mears, Anduril's senior vice president of strategy, said.

Originally hoping to start construction at the end of July, Anduril is pushing forward with permits and logistics to try to break ground in Ohio. State records show Anduril plans to optimize existing buildings to get the plant up and running. It is also adding a building along Henson Family Street and the Elizabeth Avenue Extension. Anduril plans to build another building across Elizabeth Avenue during phase two of its construction.

The project is moving forward. According to state permit filings, Arsenal-1 recently received permission from the Ohio EPA to install paint spray booths to outfit the vehicles made at the plant. Earlier this month, the Pickaway County Commissioners also established three roads near Rickenbacker as county roads, including a new Anduril Avenue.

On July 18, Anduril posted a photo of its "Arsenal-1 Inaugural Class," the first hires for the Ohio plant. The group appears to be made up of 17 men who are training at Anduril's headquarters in Costa Mesa.

As Anduril waits to break ground, it hopes to increase name recognition with the OSU partnership. State Sen. Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) spoke highly of the partnership with Ohio State on social media, calling it "exciting news."

"This builds on their major investment in the Arsenal 1 facility near Rickenbacker, bringing thousands of jobs to central Ohio," Reynolds said. "Proud to see partnerships that strengthen our economy, support our students, and invest in Ohio’s future."