Bearcat Fans All Geared Up: UC Apparel Sales Hit Second Highest Year Ever

With the Bearcats football season officially kicking off this week, the University of Cincinnati is also cheering one of its best years at the sales counter.

In 2011-12, license income from UC-branded apparel brought in $768,839, the second-highest year ever and nearly a $20,000 increase from last year.

Bearcat fans in search of C-paw emblazoned gear are finding it hanging on the racks in new retail locations in the region such as Old Navy, Best Buy, Cracker Barrel, Target and Macy's. The university continually looks to expand the number of new vendors and retail sites that offer UC apparel, said Marty Ludwig, director of Trademarks and Licensing at UC. In recent years, his office has also worked to increase the amount of licensed apparel for women.

In terms of earned license income, UC stands at No. 51 out of more than 160 colleges and universities represented nationally by the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC). According to CLC estimates, the collegiate product industry does roughly $2.7 billion a year in retail sales.

In the Big East, the Bearcats rank sixth in apparel sales out of the 16 schools represented. In the latest CLC rankings, UC is just two behind the University of Connecticut, last year's NCAA men's basketball national champion.

UC's red and black adorned fans outspent schools such as Boston College (56), Georgetown (58), Vanderbilt (61), Northwestern (69) and Marquette (75).

More Information about UC's Licensing and Trademarks

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