The Univ. of Hawaii stands to earn at least $27.7M over the 10-year life of its " new multimedia rights licensing agreement" with IMG College, according to Ferd Lewis of the HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER. The contract runs until June 30, 2027. UH will receive a $1M signing bonus with "payments split over" '18 and ’19. Annual royalties begin at $2.2M this year and escalate to $3M in the contract’s final year. UH AD David Matlin said the overall $27.7M "compares very favorably" to the $21M that the university "would have been able to achieve on its own during the same period." Lewis noted UH had "handled multimedia marketing in-house" since '03-04 after severing a two-year relationship with sports agent Leigh Steinberg. In the new deal with IMG, UH can "earn additional funds if specified revenue targets," which escalate from $4.4M this year to $6M in the final year, are exceeded. IMG also is "expected to retain" at least 50% of the non-cash trade UH receives. IMG’s role will "include UH publications, signage at UH facilities and areas open to UH at other facilities, and internet and digital opportunities." It may also have a role in "future broadcast contracts." As part of the agreement, IMG will be able to sell sponsorships "touting businesses exclusively as the 'official (fill in the blank) of UH'" (HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER, 9/12).
HAIL STORM: IMG College yesterday announced a deal with Mississippi State to become the school's exclusive trademark licensing rep, effective Jan. 1. MSU joins 11 other SEC schools that are repped by IMG, as well as the conference itself. MSU previously had a deal with Learfield Licensing Partners (THE DAILY).
