BiGR Audio, a California-based manufacturer of high-end electronics, has signed a multiyear license with the Collegiate Licensing Co., is nearing another with the rival Licensing Resource Group, and has expanded its existing line of Major League Baseball-licensed headphones, signaling its growing interest in sports-related products.
The college licenses with CLC and LRG will begin with licensed headphones for the universities of Florida, Alabama and Texas and Louisiana State University, and soon expand to more than a dozen other schools. Schools represented in the BiGR Audio headphone lineup will be a mix of both large programs in football Bowl Championship Series conferences, and smaller universities.
BiGR Audio, meanwhile, revamped its MLB product line after a debut with the baseball license last year. Price points of $199 and $149 last year have been reduced to $99, and the company shifted from plastic materials for its earcups to beechwood, with the team logos laser engraved.
The company is one of several headphone manufacturers that have sought out sports in recent years as a key avenue for growth and awareness as consumers increasingly seek out higher-quality audio products. Others that have experimented with sports licensing include Beats By Dre and Skullcandy, as well as players at lower price points such as iHip.
“A lot of this is simply the result of customers asking for these products, particularly the college headphones,” said Rich Bracke, BiGR Audio founder and chief executive. “We see a ton of opportunity ahead in college, particularly in markets where there isn’t a pro team.”
