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Come At Me, Brand Police: Athletics and Academia

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Good morning Uni Watchers. It’s Friday — we made it!

This morning I have a guest article from KC Smurthwaite, who you may remember was instrumental in setting up the Uni Watch/U of Hawaii Basketball Design Contest (if you’ve been wondering about that, a winner has still not officilly been announced, as I believe they’re hoping to produce the winner’s design, and to show that off at the time the winning contestant is announced. Obviously, as soon as I have any news, I’ll announce it here).

Anyway, during some of our many back-and-forths regarding the contest, KC mentioned to me he wanted to share some stories of his interactions with various stakeholders in both the design and branding areas of college uniforms, and the roles of the “protectors” of the “brand” … and how often these two opposing forces will come into conflict. So that’s what is the lede for today.

Here’s KC:

• • • • •
Come At Me, Brand Police: Athletics and Adademia
by KC Smurthwaite

I’m still waiting for the brand police to come and arrest me.

As you know, sports fandom is at an all-time high. It dominates TV, social media, and our daily lives—right down to the ongoing online debate about fall weddings.

Before diving into the “hidden” roadblocks that often derail the creativity of collegiate athletic departments, let me give you a quick background.

I spent twelve years in collegiate athletics, working in nearly every facet of a department’s external, revenue-generating areas. My career progressed quickly, and I eventually oversaw everything from the men’s basketball program to fundraising and everything in between. We’ll get back to that “in-between” in a second.

Now, I teach as an adjunct professor and run Athletics Admin, a contract and consulting company. I work with various athletic departments to generate revenue, assist in coaching searches, solve problems, run awesome contests and even negotiate apparel contracts for half the cost of the big guys (there is my shameless plug). But back to the in-between responsibility.

The in-between often goes unnoticed, yet it’s a crucial function of any college campus: Licensing.

I had some experience in licensing, but when I took over my role at Southern Utah University, I also took on responsibility for the entire campus’s licensing operations, down to the T-shirts the admissions office prints for prospective students. That role fell to me, a random guy in the athletics department, acting as the liaison between the university and the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC). CLC is the biggest player in the landscape, representing over 700 colleges, universities, bowl games, athletic conferences, 4,000 manufacturers, and 100,000 retailers nationwide. It wisely encourages collaboration between athletic departments and campus entities but prefers to work through a streamlined communication process.

Jacob Krebs, Senior Manager of Partnerships at CLC, highlighted the diverse range of university departments that handle collegiate licensing. “Collegiate licensing can sit in various departments across a university, including athletics, business/auxiliary services, university marketing and communications, the legal department, alumni relations, or others,” he explained.

Krebs also shared that, for CLC’s partner institutions, roughly 60% of licensing programs are managed by university-focused departments, while around 40% fall under the purview of athletic departments.

The answer: It’s a dying breed.

Universities now realize that Marketing & Communications offices need to be included in brand direction and, more importantly, the money from royalties. The liaison role is now often handled by on-campus administration, which is probably the best move, though I hate to admit it.

The kicker is that your MarCom or other central university offices aren’t athletics folks. Even as a consultant, some of my initiatives get kicked back because they’re “not on-brand.” Even if it’s a retro school logo, it’s not on-brand to look back—the focus is on current marks. That fun promotion that includes a t-shirt giveaway in funky, neon colors? Yeah, that’s not happening–even if coaches can do it. (True Story.)

I once witnessed an in-person showdown and an epic email thread between a head football coach and “some random person” who wouldn’t allow the term “no-fly zone” on a defensive back shirt with the athletic logo because it wasn’t “on-brand.”

Explaining to someone who probably didn’t play sports growing up—or maybe was cut from T-ball—what a defensive back does against an “air raid” offense is sometimes a challenge. I know some athletic departments skip over the licensing office on campus altogether. That right there is a whole other subject. Trust me when I say this: Campus administrators love to keep receipts when athletics go rogue.

There’s another layer to all this: the bookstore. The bookstore purchaser or designer doesn’t want to be told their design is denied or what apparel they can only buy via the athletics department. Bookstores are outliers for various reasons, but they are essential to the brand and marketing experience.

Krebs emphasized the importance of collaboration between licensing and athletics, stating, “For most of our partner institutions, there is strong collaboration between licensing and athletics, as both have similar goals of reaching the consumer and growing their brand. While collegiate licensing can be very fan- and sports-driven, many alumni have strong allegiances to their institution due to academic pride, and they’re not buying collegiate licensed merchandise for sports.”

He further pointed out that critical sales periods like back-to-school and graduation are not solely focused on sports, making it crucial for licensing programs to consider broader consumer interests. “Regardless of the target consumer or where licensing sits on campus, we always encourage regular communication between licensing and athletics or the academic side to ensure everyone is on the same page to maximize marketplace opportunities.”

Going back to my time at Southern Utah University, we had success: Royalty sales jumped more than 200% in some areas, the bookstore and athletics established a working relationship, did some funky things, and I was threatened with the brand police multiple times by graphic designers and a few employees.

However, although some “chief licensing officers” or CLOs take their role a little too seriously at times, especially in athletics, I always included our MarCom team. I never felt comfortable denying or accepting a submission from the College of the Arts or the President’s Office. Although the kickback came from my email, I had the reasoning and contact info from our MarCom team. I must shout out to Nikki Koontz, the assistant vice president of marketing at SUU. She was a tremendous asset to me every single day.

Richard Fairchild, Associate Director of Auxiliary Business Development at the University of Utah, explained their unique structure: “Trademarks & Licensing at the University of Utah resides outside of Athletics. That said, the partnership between the two departments is crucial to the retail licensing program’s success. It takes a lot of coordination to align uniforms on the field with retail releases, ensuring they aren’t unveiled prematurely.”

As a side note here, Utah’s Trademark & Licensing office is elite. They are very respected in the industry. That crew is creative and truly understand the spirit of collegiate athletics. From their innovative projects to their fun collaborations with Under Armour, they are expanding the proverbial “box.”

Fairchild also highlighted the delicate balance of trademark protection, collaboration and joked that a big misconception is that they are “the ‘no’ office, but at Utah.”

“True partnerships require give and take. While we have to protect our trademarks, our first approach is to help infringers understand licensing and bring them into the fold. That goes for everyone—across campus, with existing licensees and retailers. Let’s get them excited about the space we’re in and help each other be more successful.”

Overall, collegiate athletics should be fun and entertaining. If done correctly, athletics can bring tremendous value to a university and not just be a money pit. If operated correctly, it’s probably a university’s number one marketing tool. Athletics can enhance the brand, and vice versa. The off-brand aspects, every so often, are where the fun and entertainment come in.

And until the brand police start making arrests, let’s enjoy the ride.

• • • • •
Thanks, KC! I had no idea — or at least not much of one — of the constant “battles” being fought on these fronts. Fun stuff and thanks for sharing!

Readers? Any thoughts or questions for KC?

 

 
  
 

MLB Playoff Tracking

MLB Playoff Uni Tracking

Longtime readers know our longtime MLB Playoff jersey tracker Alex Rocklein has been covering all the jerseys worn by each and every Major League Baseball playoff team/game for the past several seasons, and I’m pleased to announce Alex is again returning for the 2024 MLB Playoffs. With the expansion of the Wild Card (to six teams — three in each league) in 2022, his graphics have gotten more complicated, but they’re still great. I recently did a Q & A with Alex and his Playoff Tracker.

Obviously I’m ecstatic my Mets defeated the Brewers last night (and in dramatic fashion too!), and that was the only game on the schedule. As I predicted yesterday, the Crew again wore their white pins, and the Mets countered with their road gray. We have a very interesting pattern in the three years of Wild Card series in this format. There have been 12 total series. All 12 teams who won the first game of the series went on to win the series. And in only two of the 12 matchups has the series gone to a third game. The Mets were involved in both (losing in 2022 to the Padres, and defeating the Brewers last night). And as noted yesterday, every team (three of them) that wore a softball top lost (a total of four games: Atlanta twice, and Baltimore and Houston once). The four Wild Card winners now face off with the #1 & #2 seeds in the NLDS and ALDS, with all eight teams in action Saturday. We’ll see then how many teams wear their “regular” uniforms, or if anyone goes rogue with a softball top.

Each weekday from now until the end of the 2024 World Series, I’ll have an updated tracker.

• • • • •
Thanks Alex! Looking forward to this once again throughout the playoffs and World Series!

 

 

Guess the Game from the Scoreboard

Guess The Game…

…From The Scoreboard

Today’s scoreboard comes from Scot McCracken.

The premise of the game (GTGFTS) is simple: I’ll post a scoreboard and you guys simply identify the game depicted. In the past, I don’t know if I’ve ever completely stumped you (some are easier than others).

Here’s the Scoreboard. In the comments below, try to identify the game (date and location, as well as final score). If anything noteworthy occurred during the game, please add that in (and if you were AT the game, well bonus points for you!):

Please continue sending these in! You’re welcome to send me any scoreboard photos (with answers please), and I’ll keep running them.

 

 

Guess the Game from the Uniform


Based on the suggestion of long-time reader/contributor Jimmy Corcoran, we’ve introduced a new “game” on Uni Watch, which is similar to the popular “Guess the Game from the Scoreboard” (GTGFTS), only this one asked readers to identify the game based on the uniforms worn by teams.

Like GTGFTS, readers will be asked to guess the date, location and final score of the game from the clues provided in the photo. Sometimes the game should be somewhat easy to ascertain, while in other instances, it might be quite difficult. There will usually be a visual clue (something odd or unique to one or both of the uniforms) that will make a positive identification of one and only one game possible. Other times, there may be something significant about the game in question, like the last time a particular uniform was ever worn (one of Jimmy’s original suggestions). It’s up to YOU to figure out the game and date.

Today’s GTGFTU comes from Bryan Testa.

Good luck and please post your guess/answer in the comments below.

 

 

And finally...

…that’s all for the early lede. Thanks to KC for sharing that bit of insider information regarding branding and merchandising!

I should have a couple more articles today, plus Anthony’s Ticker, so be sure to keep checking back!

Everyone have a fantastic Friday and a better weekend. Jimmer Vilk will take you through to Monday.

Likely the penultimate sunset photo of 2024…

Peace,

PH

Comments (33)

    GTGFTU: 21 September 2003, Ravens @ San Diego Chargers, with the Ravens winning 24-10. An easy one, as this was the only time these specific uniform combos were worn by both teams against each other.

    GTGFTS:
    6 July 1949.
    Crosley Field, Cincinnati, Ohio.
    Reds 23, Cubs 4.
    Catcher Walker Cooper drives in 10 for the Reds with 3 dingers, driving in the immortal Peanuts Lowrey twice.

    Great article about the brand police. Very insightful.

    Thanks for finding the game. I looked over the box score. Kind of interesting. Cubs starting pitcher Monk Dubiel gave up a single to the lead off hitter. He then retired the next two batters and left the game. Injury, I assume. He was almost out of the inning. The relief pitcher gave up 3 straight singles (2 runs scored) and a walk before recording the 3rd out. The Reds scored 4 runs in the 2nd and 6 in the 3rd. If Monk hadn’t gotten hurt, would the Reds have scored 23 runs in the game?

    Good question!
    What struck me from the picture was how high the Cubs’ player numbers were for a midseason game. All 3 outfielders (by the end of the game at least, but 2 of the 3 started and played all 9) had numbers in the 40s, and only 3 single-digit players. By 1949, we weren’t that far into the age of assigned player numbers, where the custom was originally that you got your number from your place in the batting order on many teams. Back then, guys chose the lowest numbers possible to look like they belonged on an MLB roster (unlike today, where guys often go unusually high to be unique or whatever). Also, it isn’t like there were a lot of retired numbers (and I don’t think the Cubs have any single-digit numbers retired to this day).

    Interesting…I wonder if the Cubs are the only of the pre-expansion MLB teams with no single digit numbers retired

    The Brand Police should never be too prevalent on college campusses. It is a big money industry, there are registered trademarks and you want to keep infringers out but be lenient when it comes to students and other fans suggesting fun ideas to help move the athletic identity of a school. Interesting article!

    Thank You!

    It’s supposed to be fun! It’s not the end of the world if you mix it up or venture outside the box.

    I can really relate to this article. As a graphic designer for a company that sells merchandise to bookstores, the amount of times the buyer has ordered something with an athletic logo and an institutional logo together, only for licensing to reject it because they can’t mix those two distinctions…

    100% Tim!

    I know this happens everywhere, but along those same lines… I never would deny something that “didn’t look good,” like the style or type of shirt. That wasn’t up to me. Obviously somebody at this company thinks it would sell, just because I wouldn’t wear it, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t approve it. That’s probably on the “brand police” commandment list.

    I was watching the Falcons/Bucs last night (great game, watched start to finish), but I have a question. I noticed the Falcons have added (I think), a thin gold stripe to their helmet. Is this new, or have I just missed it all these years?
    s

    It’s not new. This is from 2009: link

    This petition (lol) states that they had gold stripes on the helmets from 1966 to 1969:
    link

    They’ve had it for years. It’s a throwback to their original helmet, which featured red and black for UGA and gold for Georgia Tech.

    link

    I’m sure this has everything to do with the fact that it’s what they wore when I was a kid, but I’ve always thought the Falcons look best with the red helmet/red jersey combo. Bonus points if worn with the gray pants.

    The uniforms looked great last night but the lighting in the stadium was cold. Maybe if they leave the roof open it would add some natural feeling to the atmosphere.
    The game looked like it was being played in a CFL stadium.

    Was a student at Iowa state and had a few friends that were part of various sports clubs. Shortly before I started college, it was pretty easy for teams like the club basketball team, cycling, rowing, etc to use university logos on their uniforms. Then ISU got into a long legal fight with the club for weed legalization (norml, if I remember correctly) over a shirt that had a blazed out Cy on it. I think the university actually ended up losing, but the aftermath was that for ALL clubs it became way more difficult to use university branding. I know the cycling clubs spent a whole semester trying to get their cycling jerseys approved. A couple other teams just dropped university logos all together to avoid dealing with trademark. I understand why they changed it, but it definitely sucks for the club sports (which given the new safety rules I’m convinced Iowa State hates)

    I had the “brand police” called on me because I threw a Santa Hat on our logo for a Christmas Day graphic.

    I feel your pain brother.

    I know my school, Southern California, has won some cases against South Carolina, concerning trademarking the interlocking “SC”. Another thing USC does is to make sure they use certain logos and terms so as to keep their legal use of them. For some alums, calling the university or team “Southern Cal” is wrong. I think this is stupid, and if it was good enough for Keith Jackson, it’s good enough for the school. However, USC doesn’t use this very often, but they make sure to occasionally use it so they don’t legally lose it.

    Now I’m looking for a shirt that says “I STILL CALL IT SOUTHERN CAL”.
    South Carolina has big naming issues. My niece is a sophomore there. We usually go by “UofSC”, because USC is your alma mater, and “Carolina” is mine. She doesn’t like her school being called “Other Carolina”, but North Carolina can better lay claim to “Carolina” than the school in Columbia, much like “USC”.

    South Carolina, I’m sure, is very protective of its “Go Cocks” branding…

    This is gold!

    In Utah, there is a lot of beef with “The U” term.

    I think of Miami (FL), as I think 75% of America would agree. However, that is not the case around the Rocky Mountains.

    I remember these actually existing at one time. Now, theoretically, where could I buy one of these? Asking for a friend, who is actually a butcher.

    The “brand police” can definitely have an impact within the uni-verse.

    At Nebraska, former AD Trev Alberts was a big “brand consistency” guy, who worked to centralize logos, wordmarks, and even the shade of red on Husker uniforms.

    But he was also vehemently against using black as a third or alternate color – much to the chagrin of many NU coaches, players, and fans.

    Now that Trev has moved onto Texas A&M, black is coming back to several NU teams

    You bring up a great point Skott… Athletic Directors can really shape a lot on-campus, even if licensing isn’t housed with them. They can either stick a particular finger up in the air (we are number 1) and say we are doing our own thing… or play nicely.

    Additionally, if the AD came up through a marketing/brand side, they are usually more cognizant of it. Coincidentally, Trev spent a lot of time in branding and even oversaw the whole rebranding of UNO. Checks out. Thanks for the comments!

    Discussed here before is the shared branding of pistol Pete between Oklahoma state and Wyoming.

    Thanks for the great article KC! I have many different experiences with the brand police throughout my time with 4 different universities.

    The worst was at Southern Illinois in 2011. The university paid a Chicago based contractor multi-millions to do a re-brand. Just a note, athletics had its own brand and guidelines.

    From this:

    link

    To this:

    link

    Here is pages and pages of corporate-speak descriptions of this horrible change.

    link

    Everything, including flyers for student events had to be approved by the contractor!

Comments are closed.