Archive for Wednesday, August 20, 2008
KU tops North Carolina for royalties title
Kansas University freshman Travis Young, Garden City, winces as his friend Kim Nguyen, also a Garden City freshman, pulls a KU hat down on his head Wednesday at Jayhawk Bookstore. Through the end of June, KU had received $626,000 in royalties from sales of licensed merchandise connected with KU's national basketball championship, a record haul for such a title.
August 20, 2008
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Kansas University sophomore Amanda Garley, of Whitefish Bay, Wis., shops for Jayhawk merchandise on Wednesday at the KU Bookstore in the Kansas Union.
KU students talk about royalties
Now that KU already has reaped a college-record amount of money from royalties paid on licensed products touting a national basketball championship, KU students assess their chances of breaking the record at the end of this season. Hint: That would mean winning another NCAA title. Enlarge video
KU enjoys banner season for hoops merchandise
KU might be feeling strains from the state budget, but it has been making considerable money from the sale of official T-shirts and other merchandise. Enlarge video
Kansas has beaten North Carolina again, this time when it comes to proceeds from sales of officially licensed merchandise.
Sales of T-shirts, flags, mousepads and all other items connected to the 2008 national basketball championship generated $626,000 in licensing royalties for the Jayhawks through the end of June, topping the previous championship record set by North Carolina in 2005.
The Tar Heels' championship tally - $543,000, according to Sports Business Journal - fell 15 percentage points short of KU's record royalties score.
Some would say it's fitting. The 2007-2008 Jayhawks raced to a 40-12 lead in eliminating Roy Williams' Heels in the national basketball semifinals, 84-66, before topping Memphis in overtime for the NCAA Championship.
Collegiate Licensing Co. reported this week that the Jayhawks were unmatched in cashing in on a men's hoops title. The Atlanta-based company represents nearly 200 colleges, universities and related operations, and never before has any client soared to such financial heights from a men's basketball championship.
"It's good to beat Carolina, and everybody else - all the other national champions," said Jim Marchiony, an associate athletics director at KU. "That says something for the passion of our fans. We're happy about that."
Another reason for the crimson-and-blue crowd to be pleased: In all, Kansas Athletics Inc. received $2.55 million in royalties from sales of licensed items in 2007-2008, a full $1.55 million more than the department had budgeted, Marchiony said.
Of the royalty revenues, about $700,000 will go toward KU's overall scholarship programs, benefiting students across campus, he said. The remainder will be used to help finance athletics scholarships, an expense that already has consumed $7 million for this coming academic year.
KU also recorded the biggest year-over-year improvement in royalties revenues -110 percent - among Collegiate Licensing clients. The Jayhawks, with $2.55 million in revenue, ranked No. 14 on the company's list of top 75 universities, up from No. 22 a year ago.
The unexpected leap in royalties came as KU's top two revenue-producing programs achieved plenty of competitive success. KU's football team won the Orange Bowl in January, capping a 12-1 season.
Then Bill Self's hoopsters won a Big 12 championship and, in San Antonio, emerged victorious from a Final Four field fortified by all four No. 1 seeds.
"Our percentage went up more than anyone's," Marchiony said. "Obviously, those two factors made a huge difference in that number. :
"It's terrific."
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20 August 2008
at 3:23 p.m.
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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…
KU would make even more if certain stores weren't trying to rip them off.
20 August 2008
at 3:36 p.m.
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stuckinthemiddle (Anonymous) says…
it appears that KU did just fine for themselves…even though they were being “ripped off”…
20 August 2008
at 3:40 p.m.
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jayhawker85 (Anonymous) says…
Wonder how much Joe-college got…
20 August 2008
at 4:26 p.m.
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OnlyLawrenceRepublican (Anonymous) says…
At 3% cpi inflation rate, it's about 9%. Is that accurate though with inflation were it is now?
20 August 2008
at 5:42 p.m.
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toe (Anonymous) says…
I bought mine at rummage sales. KU is going to have to get on the stick and go after rummage sales too.
20 August 2008
at 5:57 p.m.
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hk45 (Anonymous) says…
With such high revenue from merchandise I can see why KU sent a bill for their awards banquet. They definitely had little money left over to cover the cost of the banquet.
20 August 2008
at 6:21 p.m.
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dweezil222 (Anonymous) says…
And all that even with the competition from Joe-college. Proof that KU is nothing but greedy.
20 August 2008
at 8:46 p.m.
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jimmyspeachbaskets (Anonymous) says…
If by greedy you mean totally awesome this year, then yes, KU is greedy as hell
20 August 2008
at 10:35 p.m.
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d_prowess (Anonymous) says…
Nice article but I would have loved some info about what money, if any the university gets. I assume none from what was written, but I would like to know why. Does the athletic dept own the jayhawk? Does athletics just run merch sales, so they get the cash?
20 August 2008
at 10:46 p.m.
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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…
Does North Carolina even know there is a top dog royalties contest or is this something we made up for bragging rights? Will there be a big trophy for this major score? I wonder do KU students living in the dorms flush as many times as the students in North Carolina living in dorms? Just about as fascinating. Come on, let's keep distracting ourselves about what college is really suppose to be about and keep it about sports so we can justify paying so much for our AD and allowing all the damage to the beauty of campus for the growth of the empire.
20 August 2008
at 10:50 p.m.
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akuna (Anonymous) says…
Good question d_prowess.
21 August 2008
at 12:13 a.m.
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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…
Jack, in the words of Roy Williams, “I don't give a **** about North Carolina” (only he wasn't edited when he said it.)
21 August 2008
at 1:59 a.m.
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pace (Anonymous) says…
you have to admit they put business first, alumni mean nothing, community means nothing and they really rake in the dough. Remember the business and the money is the most important thing in the world. Lets hope they don't get the kids to sign away their dna as part of their scholarship. It will be a simple marketing decision. They will hawk the clones to the professional leagues, oops, maybe that line is blurred.
21 August 2008
at 4:31 a.m.
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smartmomma (Anonymous) says…
You think ljworld would have picked a better picture….the look on this guys face…..really????? LOL
21 August 2008
at 6 a.m.
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classclown (Anonymous) says…
Has anyone done an official snob count yet? Or is that a given?
21 August 2008
at 6:14 a.m.
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TopJayhawk (Anonymous) says…
That's it you guys, just keep biting the hand that feeds you and your parasitic economy.
21 August 2008
at 7:58 a.m.
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BigPrune (Anonymous) says…
Now is the time for the City to start charging a user tax on the students since KU has NEVER paid a dime for infrastructure. Enough of the KU “non-profit” corporate welfare.
21 August 2008
at 10:39 a.m.
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janeyb (Anonymous) says…
Last time I saw the North Carolina coach he had a Jayhawk on his shirt—don't know if it was licensed or not. Someone needs to direct Travis Young down to Joe College. Get him out of that expensive bookstore.
21 August 2008
at 12:11 p.m.
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SpeedRacer (Anonymous) says…
Too bad North Carolina tops KU on the Forbes 2008 list of Best Colleges and Universities. (unfortunately, so does Mizzou)
21 August 2008
at 12:58 p.m.
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ryknow1976 (Anonymous) says…
In all, Kansas Athletics Inc. received $2.55 million in royalties from sales of licensed items in 2007-2008, a full $1.55 million more than the department had budgetedAnd yet they're threatening to cut jobs.
21 August 2008
at 3:31 p.m.
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thebigspoon (Anonymous) says…
Not really positive about the numbers, but it seems I remember Joe College had to pay the university about $125,000 to settle its “incursion” into KUA's profits. Take that away from $626,000, and who has bragging rights now? Not that it makes any difference—KU still has bragging rights to the snob of the year contest. Great going, football, debate and basketball. You've given yourselves plenty to brag about, and us to hang on your shirttails about. Keep it up: it's not all about money, in the long run.