Licensing Program to Benefit High Schools

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bruce Howard

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 30, 2009) — The National Federation of State High

School Associations (NFHS) and Licensing Resource Group, LLC (LRG) have signed an agreement that could provide new revenue for high schools.

Eleven NFHS-member state associations are involved in a pilot program whereby state associations and member high schools in those states that choose to participate will receive royalties on merchandise sold at local retail stores. The merchandise, including sportswear and other apparel, would bear the local school’s name and logo.

Currently, many high schools have merchandise in retail locations and the schools do not benefit from the sale of these items. LRG will secure licensee and retail partners, administer each license and help create a new source of income for the local schools.

“Given the current state of the economy and the fact that many high schools are trying to find new sources of revenue to keep programs alive, we believe this is a great opportunity for the schools and communities,” said Robert F. Kanaby, NFHS executive director. “This is truly a win-win situation for the schools and state associations since there is no cost for the local high school to participate in the program.”

Apparel and other products with the local school’s name and logo and/or mascot will carry a “hang tag” that identifies it as an authentic, quality licensed product. Items with the “NFHS Official High School Licensed Product” tag will show retailer support of local schools and let the consumer know that the purchase supports the local school and state high school association.

States involved in the initial pilot program are Alabama, California, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia and LRG, with offices in Michigan, North Carolina and Iowa, has licensing agreements with more than 150 colleges and universities nationwide.

“LRG’s expertise in creating opportunities for clients, licensees and retailers will provide the opportunity for the NFHS, its member state associations and their schools to realize an increase in market share and revenue by participating in a professionally managed program,” Kanaby said.

An eight-page insert on the licensing program appeared in the April issue of High School Today in some of the participating states, and will appear in the May issue in the remainder of the participating states. High School Today is the NFHS’ national magazine published monthly during the school year and distributed to the principal and athletic director at every high school in the nation and the superintendent and school board president in every school district.

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches nearly 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including almost 7½ million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

About the Licensing Resource Group (LRG)
LRG maintains offices in Holland, Michigan; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Coralville, Iowa, and currently has licensing agreements with more than 150 colleges and universities nationwide. Founded in 1991, the company has created a successful alternative to traditional licensing management philosophies, focusing on each client as an individual brand to achieve success. LRG has created new standards within the industry for technology, brand development and license management, and is consistently recognized for its high level of service to its clients, licensees and retailers.

Media Contacts
Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900
National Federation of State High School Associations
PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206
bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org 

NFHS Licensing Program Going Strong in Second Year

BY COLIN LIKAS

After a highly successful first year with distributions of more than $1 million to 6,500 high schools, the NFHS Licensing Program, in partnership with the Licensing Resource Group (LRG), has started its second year with several new national and regional retailers and the option for an online fan shop for schools in the program.

The program was created to enable schools to have a new source of revenue by receiving royalties on merchandise sold at local retail stores. The merchandise contains the school’s name, logo and/or mascot and is identified by the distinctive NFHS hang-tag alerting consumers that the purchase benefits the school.

New retailers carrying NFHS high school licensed product this fall include Academy Sports, Menards and Lids. In addition, Kroger is expanding the number of participating stores, and regional grocer Bigg’s has joined the program as well. Finish Line will introduce a Student Section in 50 stores that will feature NFHS high school licensed product representing about 100 high schools.

Returning retailers include Hibbett’s, Dunham’s Dollar General, Walgreens, MC Sports, Meijer, Olympic Sporting Goods, Fred’s and Pamida, as well as Wal-Mart, which will carry NFHS high school licensed product of schools that have a signed agreement with LRG.

“We feel, for a first-year program to distribute checks to 6,500 schools is remarkable,” said Dick Welsh, LRG general manager.

LRG is signing agreements with individual schools on a daily basis. According to NFHS Director of Marketing Judy Shoemaker, the growth potential in the NFHS Licensing Program is tremendous.

“It’s all about creating new revenue for schools that continue to face drastic budget and program cuts,” Shoemaker said. “Expanding the program means greater revenue for the schools and that’s our goal.”

LRG’s ability to secure licensee and retail partners has been a key to the program’s success.

“The retailers involved wanted to tell the community that they were giving back to the community by directly supporting the schools in their local market,” Welsh said. Another new part of the program thisyear is the agreement with Touchstone Merchandise Group (TMG) to be the exclusive e-commerce supplier of NFHS-licensed high school merchandise. Under the brand name Rokkitwear, TMG will provide an online fan shop for free to schools with a signed LRG licensing agreement. The customized online fan shop link will appear on the school’s Web site with no maintenance or administrative costs. The school’s merchandise is then sold through the fan shop, with the school receiving revenue directly from sales, as well as from royalties. Merchandise can also be ordered in bulk by the school, thereby increasing revenue. All product sold online through a school’s fan shop will be NFHS-licensed product, and the school will receive the same royalty revenue as that from the product sold at retail stores. In addition, participating schools also receive 15 percent of the revenue based on the price of a product sold online. The online shops can be launched immediately for schools with an LRG licensing agreement. Each school’s online store is completely customized using the school’s marks, name, nicknames, colors and mascot. Schools can view examples or sign up for the Rokkitwear online fan shops at www.rokkitwear.com.

Member schools from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Michigan, Virginia and North Carolina are participating in the initial launch of the online stores this fall.

• “We were overwhelmed in the first year, but we added the on- line shop to close the gap [with other online retailers],” Welsh said. “The future for the program is tremendous.” 

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE

http://www.nfhslicensing.com/assets/images/FAQs.pdf

Finish Line Stores Feature Officially Licensed Apparel for Nearly 100 High Schools Nationwide