The University of Texas at Austin announced a licensed merchandise strategy that includes new exclusive partnerships with Fanatics and HanesBrands to lead the development of a collection of fan apparel across all retail channels.
HanesBrands, which owns Champion and Hanes apparel brands, Alternative and other brands, will focus on designing and manufacturing Texas fan gear for Austin, TX market retailers and national supercenter and club retailers. Fanatics will lead growth in the Internet channel and at sporting goods and department store retailers. The University of Texas will continue its partnership with Nike as the provider of performance products and specific fan merchandise for its Longhorns Athletics program.
“Fanatics and HanesBrands are each committed to significantly expanding the assortment and distribution of Texas merchandise, which complements our fan-focused licensed merchandise strategy,” said Drew Martin, executive senior associate athletics director for External Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin. “We selected these partners because they are invested in a true brand partnership with Texas Athletics and the University as we work to provide ‘A Selection As Big As Texas’ for Longhorn fans. We have already seen our fans respond to this newly expanded product experience with near-record sales on the first football gameday.”
The new partnerships with HanesBrands and Fanatics follow an analysis of the Texas trademark licensing program and a competitive proposal process completed in conjunction with the University’s exclusive licensing agent, CLC. In addition to these exclusive programs, the University of Texas will also continue to partner with other licensees in key product categories. These licensees include Columbia, Vineyard Vines, Peter Millar, Tommy Bahama, WEAR by Erin Andrews, Johnnie-O, ’47 Brand, and Gameday Couture, with other apparel brands actively pursuing Texas-branded programs.
HanesBrands has completed work on a Champion shop experience at The Coop. In addition, the HBI Design Center of Excellence created Red River Showdown apparel highlighting the traditions around the rivalry.
“Texas Athletics and Longhorn fans represent the spirit, tradition and leadership embodied in our Champion brand, and we are excited to be a part of this innovative Texas apparel strategy,” said John Fryer, HanesBrand’s president of Sports Apparel. In addition to the new Champion fanshop at The Coop, HanesBrands is delivering exceptional assortments of Longhorn gear to more than 750 national retailer store locations. And we look forward to building on our promise of quality and fashion for Texas fans.”
Fanatics will also continue to provide e-commerce and in-venue retail operations for Texas Athletics through 2030. Through this expanded partnership, Fanatics will power the Longhorns official online shop and also launch a flagship retail store inside the Moody Center, which will become the home of the Texas men’s and women’s basketball team in 2022. The roughly 1,800-square-foot store will be customized for Longhorn fans with mobile point-of-sale and online pick-up options. Fanatics will also create new experiences before, during and after football games, opening pop-up shops at Bevo Blvd., the Texas football pre-game street party, and opportunities on campus with a student focus.
“The University of Texas at Austin is one of the elite academic and athletic institutions in the world, and we’re incredibly excited to extend and expand our comprehensive partnership together,” said Derek Eiler, executive vice president, Fanatics College. “Longhorns fans and Texas executives everywhere have immense pride in the University, and we look forward to creating customized merchandise that celebrates the Texas spirit and traditions as well as a more immersive shopping experience whether shopping online, via mobile, at Texas Athletics on-campus venues on game day, or at hundreds of retailers across the state.”
The new licensing partnerships and expanded retail presence are currently being highlighted in a marketing campaign, “A Selection as Big as Texas.”
Photo courtesy The University of Texas
