Perry Ellis International announced the launch of PGA TOUR Collegiate Apparel at retail accounts nationwide, offered through a licensing agreement with The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), a division of IMG Worldwide, and the PGA TOUR. The merchandise will bear the logos of top colleges and universities around the country and will be available in over 500 locations across the U.S.
Unique to this brand of collegiate apparel, professional golfers from the PGA TOUR will be wearing the logos and colors of their alma maters during tournament play. Four players will participate in the initial launch: Woody Austin (University of Miami, class of ’86), Justin Bolli (University of Georgia, class of ’99), Hunter Haas (The University of Oklahoma, class of ’00) and Omar Uresti (The University of Texas, class of ’91).
“CLC is the nation’s leading collegiate trademark licensing company, currently representing more than 200 colleges, universities, bowl games and athletic conferences in the U.S. We are extremely excited about this partnership and look forward to expanding with the PGA TOUR into a niche market of unbelievable potential,” said Oscar Feldenkreis, President and Chief Operating Officer of Perry Ellis International.
The new collegiate line will be available throughout the United States at several channels of retail distribution including department stores, sporting goods stores, college book store fan shops, and the internet and catalogs, with PEI providing its expertise in design, sourcing and distribution. The product will launch for the back-to-school 2010 season and will include performance knit polos for 13 top schools. Products for the holiday season will also include fleece, wind wear, jackets and long sleeve performance knits. Expansion plans include an additional 50 schools.
“There has always been a strong connection between golf consumers and the college fan base,” stated Scott Bouyack, Vice President of Apparel Marketing for CLC. “We believe this partnership with PEI will be successful in further extending that connection through innovative retail product, as well as the visibility the products and the collegiate brands will receive from collegiate alumni on the PGA TOUR that participate in the marketing program.”
