The 2010-11 fiscal year marked a period of record-breaking sales of trademarked University of Wisconsin merchandise, bringing with it an increase in financial aid to students.
The profits marked the highest total in the history of the Wisconsin licensing program, as UW inherited $3,326,879 in gross royalties of licensed merchandise.
According to Cindy Van Matre, UW’s trademark licensing director, the profits – after expenses for the trademark licensing office are deducted – are split evenly between the Athletic Department and the Office of Financial Aid.
She said the profits are important because the Office of Financial Aid uses the money to award scholarships called Bucky Grants to students in need who are often first-generation college attendees.
According to Susan Fischer, director of the Office of Financial Aid, everyone in the office is pleased to see this increase in gift funds.
“These funds combined with the other grants, scholarships, loans and work, make attending UW a reality for undergraduates who wish to graduate as Badgers but face large financial barriers,” Fischer said. “Every dollar makes a difference.”
The record-breaking sales will mean an increase in the amount of need-based institutional financial aid that will be distributed in the upcoming year.
Fischer said it is too soon to predict precisely what the royalties will be from this current year because it takes a while for the funds to trickle down.
She said 155 students received a Bucky Grant last year, but this number will most likely increase for the upcoming year.
Fischer also said the increase in sales of trademarked UW licensed merchandise greatly came as a consequence of the Wisconsin Badgers football team’s appearance in the 2011 Rose Bowl, but said the increase in sales cannot be solely attributed to the successful football program.
“Given the tremendous success of the football program this year, I hope that 2011-12 will be as good as this last year,” she said. “And it is not football alone, but the men and women’s hockey, basketball, wrestling – all of the sports really that our student athletes work so hard in on our behalf – real Badger pride with a wonderful tangential outcome.”
Van Matre agreed that the Rose Bowl was a significant factor in the profit increase.
“A successful football season always helps increase royalties because the two highest buying quarters for collegiate merchandise occur between July and December,” Van Matre said. “The 2011 Rose Bowl royalties totaled $171,000, which was lower than I expected, but the Rose Bowl appearance likely created demand for other Wisconsin logo items.”
Along with more people wearing UW apparel, Van Matre said UW products have been made more available to alumni and fans recently as they can be found in many places, not just in Madison or Wisconsin.
Van Matre said several online ordering options are now available to UW fans, making it easier for displaced fans to get Badger products.
UW ranked third among Collegiate Licensing Big Ten clients and 15th overall among the Collegiate Licensing Corporation’s 160 colleges and universities for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.
