More shakeup in the front office

[BDYZR]

1 hour ago, Mike Stuben said:

I don't want to put a name and email out on this website, but if someone wants to make USF items for resale but won't be making the largest quantity, it is possible to get temporary licenses at a much lower cost. It isn't a 100% guaranteed done deal, but if you know someone who is in this boat, let me know via email stuben@usf.edu and I will share the contact info of a person who can assist. 

I don't know these people, they're traveling vendors. I will tell you EVERY SINGLE ONE of them will tell you the same story. "The USF licensing red tape and costs are not worth the pennies I'm going to make off of these." I had one tell me that USF requires them to pay up front to produce X number of what ever the item is.

I will also tell you that the same vendors will have UF, FSU, UCF, FIU, FAU, even FL A&M along with a booth full of other schools.

The question is, "How do we change this archaic rule?" How do I get in front of him/her and ask point blank questions?

 

Edited July 5, 2018 by BDYZR

[Mike Stuben]

14 minutes ago, BDYZR said:

I don't know these people, they're traveling vendors. I will tell you EVERY SINGLE ONE of them will tell you the same story. "The USF licensing red tape and costs are not worth the pennies I'm going to make off of these." I had one tell me that USF requires them to pay up front to produce X number of what ever the item is.

I will also tell you that the same vendors will have UF, FSU, UCF, FIU, FAU, even FL A&M along with a booth full of other schools.

The question is, "How do we change this archaic rule?" How do I get in front of him/her and ask point blank questions?

 

Here is the company that represents us, they also represent most of the top schools, including UF and FSU. Same basic rules for us as UF and FSU, been that way for at least 15 years. The difference may be knowing to ask for the temporary/one time/special product license.  https://www.clc.com/Clients.aspx 

Here is my knowledge, which is a few years dated, but I am pretty confident still rings true today. 

When a company want to make USF logoed items (or UF or FSU etc.), they first have to apply for a license, if granted, the upfront cost of buying the license is pretty substantial, lets say $2000. (not the exact number). Then when a company makes USF shirts, they pay a royalty, lets say 6% of the wholesale value of the item. 

$2000 to Nike or Adidas is nothing. $2000 to mom and pop making homemade crafts is a big deal. That is what I am talking about, Mom and Pop can ask for a one time, special, temporary licence to make their small batch of USF crafts, and the fee might only be $50, plus the 6%. I can help Mom and Pop find the person to ask about the one time license. 

Now, let me tell you this. If mom and pop in the Tampa Bay area are making unlicensed goods in Tampa, they are more likely to not make USF items, because they are more likely to get caught, because of the proximity to USF. 

If you want to talk to someone about how the process works and offer suggestions to improve, my two suggestions for policy makers in this case would be Andrew Goodrich or Michael Kelly when he arrives. 

[Ned A Starr RIP]

1 hour ago, Mike Stuben said:

Here is the company that represents us, they also represent most of the top schools, including UF and FSU. Same basic rules for us as UF and FSU, been that way for at least 15 years. The difference may be knowing to ask for the temporary/one time/special product license.  https://www.clc.com/Clients.aspx 

Here is my knowledge, which is a few years dated, but I am pretty confident still rings true today. 

When a company want to make USF logoed items (or UF or FSU etc.), they first have to apply for a license, if granted, the upfront cost of buying the license is pretty substantial, lets say $2000. (not the exact number). Then when a company makes USF shirts, they pay a royalty, lets say 6% of the wholesale value of the item. 

$2000 to Nike or Adidas is nothing. $2000 to mom and pop making homemade crafts is a big deal. That is what I am talking about, Mom and Pop can ask for a one time, special, temporary licence to make their small batch of USF crafts, and the fee might only be $50, plus the 6%. I can help Mom and Pop find the person to ask about the one time license. 

Now, let me tell you this. If mom and pop in the Tampa Bay area are making unlicensed goods in Tampa, they are more likely to not make USF items, because they are more likely to get caught, because of the proximity to USF. 

If you want to talk to someone about how the process works and offer suggestions to improve, my two suggestions for policy makers in this case would be Andrew Goodrich or Michael Kelly when he arrives. 

So, it appears that small vendor licensing agreements have been a well guarded secret.

[Brad]

I made a yard sign on Cafepress one time that said something like

”Bulls Football Party in Progress”

I used green ink and font similar to that the Bulls used at the time.  But no official logo or slogan.

I was shut down.  Someone at USF or CLC took the time to enforce that license rationale while there were dozens of unlicensed direct rip-offs of the USF logo on ebay.  It all depends on how their day is going and who they feel like skewering. 

I kept copies of the stuff I had made (sold none of it by the way).  So generic you wouldn’t think they could shut it down, but who is CafePress to argue?

[RandyGator]

What marketing? 

Can't find Bulls gear anywhere. 

[JTrue]

19 minutes ago, Brad said:

I made a yard sign on Cafepress one time that said something like

”Bulls Football Party in Progress”

I used green ink and font similar to that the Bulls used at the time.  But no official logo or slogan.

I was shut down.  Someone at USF or CLC took the time to enforce that license rationale while there were dozens of unlicensed direct rip-offs of the USF logo on ebay.  It all depends on how their day is going and who they feel like skewering. 

I kept copies of the stuff I had made (sold none of it by the way).  So generic you wouldn’t think they could shut it down, but who is CafePress to argue?

I think we had the discussion, or a similar one, a couple years ago and I brought up how drive past a sign for a local pee wee football team called the "University Area Bulls" and no one seems to mind that. But we had beef with that Alabama HS football team using a variation on our logo.

[BrassBulls12]

 

 

[OcalaBull2]

On 7/5/2018 at 4:26 PM, BDYZR said:

I don't know these people, they're traveling vendors. I will tell you EVERY SINGLE ONE of them will tell you the same story. "The USF licensing red tape and costs are not worth the pennies I'm going to make off of these." I had one tell me that USF requires them to pay up front to produce X number of what ever the item is.

I will also tell you that the same vendors will have UF, FSU, UCF, FIU, FAU, even FL A&M along with a booth full of other schools.

The question is, "How do we change this archaic rule?" How do I get in front of him/her and ask point blank questions?

 

I’ve heard this for a long time. Something has to change. You’d think our school would be way more welcoming to getting more product out there.