The Univ. of Texas has approved a 10-year agreement with 289c Apparel to become the new licensee for the school. UT was assisted in making the deal by Learfield Licensing Partners. The new deal replaces the current deal with CLC for both UT and UTEP, which ends June 30, 2016. It includes guaranteed revenue to limit downside risk for the first three years. UT's current apparel deal with Nike also expires in June '16, and the school in a release said the new apparel provider, "be it Nike or another supplier, will be the other primary apparel supplier with 289c" (UT). In Austin, Ryan Autullo reports the school's move is "aimed at saving money and seizing additional control of its image," as it will now "handle licensing in-house." The 289c Apparel brand "is owned" by the Cowboys. UT men's AD Steve Patterson said, "We’ll take the responsibility for licensing in house. It will represent a tremendous cost-savings." Autullo notes UT "has ranked atop the nation in retail sales for nine years in a row." A source said that the school "could save" as much as $1M annually "because of decreased travel and compliance considerations." The source added that CLC "made a counter-offer, but ... 'it was not in the same universe' as the 289C offer" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 3/20). SportsBusiness Journal's Terry Lefton earlier this month reported UT was close to finalizing a deal with the Cowboys.
