Florida Apparel Sales Slowing Down After Three Championships

Univ. Of Florida Apparel Sales Slowing With Continued Success

Despite winning their second straight men’s basketball national championship last night, Univ. of Florida (UF) fans are not buying as much merchandise as they did after either last year’s basketball championship or their football national championship in January, according to Diana Middleton of the FLORIDA TIMES-UNION. Jacksonville-area Sports Mania Owner John Smith: “After three championships, how much of this as a consumer can you take? I can say, we’re coming out of Atlanta very disappointed.” Smith set up a temporary store at the Final Four after traveling to both the SEC Championship football game in December and the BCS National Championship game in January, where the crowds were “insatiable for Gator memorabilia.” He estimated that he will sell “about half the amount of merchandise [that] he sold last April.” After bringing around 5,000 items to the BCS game, Smith brought under 1,000 items to the Final Four (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 4/3).

THREE’S COMPANY: CLC Dir of University Services Heath Price said that even before last night’s win over Ohio State, licensees were “already planning for the possibility of merchandise with three titles.” In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay reported UF now will receive a 10% royalty, up from 8.5%, on the wholesale cost of all items that feature the university’s name or logo. That figure will jump to 15% for championship gear. Price said the royalty rate for three-title apparel would increase to 18% (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 4/2).

BUCKEYES BOUNCE BACK: CNBC’s Darren Rovell wrote Ohio State (OSU) made $5.7M in royalties in ’05-06, up from the $5.2M it earned in ’02-03 when it won the football national championship. OSU Dir of Trademark & Licensing Services Rick Van Brimmer said that the school is “very close to surpassing $8[M] in royalties for this year.” By contrast, UF made just $3.2M in royalties in ’05-06 (CNBC.com, 4/2).