Your hatred for a rival college team could have it laughing all the way to the bank.
After Bedlam weekend, many fans wore their team’s colors and logo with pride, including some that highlight their dislike for the other team.
When you see someone wearing a screen-printed shirt that says “Friends don’t let friends go to OU” with the OU logo in place of the letters or someone driving around with a Texas Longhorns logo sticker upside down, someone is making money on the licensing of that logo — and it might not necessarily be the team that person is supporting.
OSU trademarks and licensing administrator Kurtis Mason said with a rivalry like Bedlam, the profits are shared equally between the schools, even though it seems there is a lop-sided hatred between the two.
“When items are printed featuring official logos proclaiming it is ‘pro-one school’ and ‘anti-another school,’ the profits are usually going to go to the school that the shirt was ‘pro,’ ” Mason said. “When two schools share a shirt like in a bowl game, or in this case Bedlam, where there would be no disparaging remarks either way, the profits are split down the middle.”
The money that is generated from buying officially licensed items benefits the schools because it goes toward replenishing scholarship funds, Mason said.
The Collegiate Licensing Company, one of the largest and oldest licensing firms in the U.S., represents OSU and OU. For a percentage of each officially licensed item that is sold, the company protects the licensing interests of both universities along with nearly 200 others.
The CLC and its partner companies provide brand imaging and licensing for NASCAR, NHL, NFL and Disney, according to its Web site.
There is an approval process that any licensed manufacturer of goods goes through when it wants to get a design done for sale.
Chris Norris, owner of Chris’ University Spirit, said he has officially licensed with both OSU and the CLC. The approval process can sometimes be tedious but it is necessary to keep a good working relationship, he said.
“Anyone can go and have a shirt made for themselves that says whatever about whomever,” Norris said. “But I have had instances where I turned down a job because I knew the university wouldn’t like that out there with their name on it. It wouldn’t be worth going through the approval process or my relationship with OSU.”
A university licensing department or the CLC will never give approval to a manufacturer of saleable goods if it has intent of defacing the logo or going against the university’s brand image.
Mason and Norris cited the example on giving your money to the other team.
When you see someone displaying the Texas Longhorn logo upside down on a sticker, it is pure profit for Texas University.
They have purchased an officially licensed item to turn it upside down to show their dislike for the University of Texas, but in the process, helped their scholarship fund out. If you see something that is purposefully printed upside down like a T-shirt, chances are it is counterfeit.
Mason said counterfeit merchandise means taking money away from the university and its students.
“There have been instances where things were taken, but that’s not our purpose or job,” Mason said. “There are enforcement officers at every event that will handle that.”
Mason noted that OU and OSU are bitter rivals on the field but have a great working relationship behind the scenes and watch out for each other’s best interests.
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