Merchandise Licensing Question

Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans · Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:26 pm

Maybe it's a bit like the chicken and the egg? Easy to say "there's no market" when they don't have SMU items on the shelves. How do we know "there's just no market for the stuff" when it's not on the shelves? Maybe things have gotten better, but over the years I have spoke with several store mangers that basically all said "They (Smu) are a nightmare to deal with". The manager at Rally House near the galleria is one that said that; the Finish Line at Willow Bend Mall as well. Maybe they are all lying or are mis-informed but I doubt it. I remember one time seeing all schools including Austin College, but no Smu! If it's based on sales how can Austin College sell better than Smu?

It's always been a given that if we are a consistent winner that our stuff will sell better. Going to a better conference as someone mentioned cant hurt either. Another example of this is almost everytime I go have my car serviced at Sewell Lexus. Right in the cashier pay/window area they have a display for the little chrome emblems you put on the back of your car. For a couple of years I would always check to see if the SMU emblem was there. Four out five times it was not in the display cabinet with all the other schools. I would always inquire and the cashiers either didn't know or would say "well we probably sold out of those". So after a couple of years of seeing the same "no Smu emblem" I wrote a letter to Carl Sewell explaining the situation. Mr. Sewell wrote me back (which I appreciate because I know he must be a busy man) and thanked me. But even at my last service appointment several weeks ago there were emblems from the usual A&M, TCU and other schools but no Smu emblems. I have seen the Smu emblem there but it's rare. Maybe I continue to just have bad timing or maybe the Smu emblems are just selling so fast they literally can't keep them on the shelves? Again, I doubt it.

2ndandlong · Post by **2ndandlong** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:43 pm

Dutch and I both met with Tim Leonard on this. SMU is more than happy to work with people on merchandising. There were issues out of the former regime and it has been hard to overcome the previously damaged reputation. Tim was more than able to rattle off several groups they have worked with recently.

Nonissue. As demand increases, retailers will find out there is new flexibility.

Dutch · Post by **Dutch** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:43 pm

carl buys them all.

Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans · Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:45 pm

2ndandlong wrote:Dutch and I both met with Tim Leonard on this. SMU is more than happy to work with people on merchandising. There were issues out of the former regime and it has been hard to overcome the previously damaged reputation.

Excellent news. Thanks.

Dutch · Post by **Dutch** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:53 pm

Oh, and i'd like to point something else out using the car emblems as an example. the licensing fees are paid by the manufacturer, NOT the end retailer. retailers buy wholesale goods from manufacturers. there are a few cases where they're the same entity, but that's rare. the chrome car decals exist, we've seen them, and probably all have one. so that means that the manufacturer has already dealt with SMU to get the right to produce them. they've paid the fees, and they manufacture them. whether sewell, the book store, the car wash, or anyone else order them has NOTHING to do with licensing/fees/etc. it has to do with sales.

Rallyhouse is the same. they order stuff from manufacturers. they don't deal directly with SMU or TCU or UT or anyone in that regard, so someone telling you that was severely misinformed. SMU stuff exists. we see it, we own it. they can carry it just like the B&N on Mockingbird does.

Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans · Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:59 pm

Dutch wrote: the car wash, or anyone else order them has NOTHING to do with licensing/fees/etc. it has to do with sales. Rallyhouse is the same. they order stuff from manufacturers. they don't deal directly with SMU or TCU or UT or anyone in that regard, so someone telling you that was severely misinformed.

So how is it on multiple occasions in Dallas, Texas I have seen retail tables, displays, racks of college gear and it will have schools like UNT, Austin College, Tulane, Baylor (long before any Heismans) and not a single thing SMU? Are you saying Austin College, SFA, and Tulane are outselling SMU gear in Dallas, Texas? I just find that very hard to believe. I am being totally serious Dutch that it is a running joke with myself and other friends I shop with that when we are in stores that carry college gear they are going to have no SMU stuff but will have some other obscure school's stuff. Lately in a few stores you will see a very limited SMU offering, so it is getting better, but I would say we still have a very, very long way to catch up.

smusic 00 · Post by **smusic 00** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:11 pm

Ask the retail buyers, if thy give you b.s. about merchandising, call them out for not demanding it for you, the paying customer. Manufacturers respond to purchasing managers. Agreed we have a long way to go, but it is not had to find great SMU gear right now.

smupony94 · Post by **smupony94** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:14 pm

People buy their stuff not ours

Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans · Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:18 pm

smusic 00 wrote: Agreed we have a long way to go, but it is not had to find great SMU gear right now.

Oh I agree. There is more available now than five years ago. And sure we SMU fans can locate it, but I would like to see SMU gear available on par with other schools like UNT, TCU, Baylor ( we are in Dallas, Texas) so the kid browsing at the Finish Line gets a chance to see our cool colors and maybe buys our stuff to wear to school. I know several friends that became fans of certain schools not because they went there, but as a kid they identified with that school's uniform/colors.

Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans · Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:19 pm

smupony94 wrote:People buy their stuff not ours

People buy Austin College, SFA, and UNT stuff in Dallas over SMU? Sorry I think there has to be other reasons.

SMU Football Blog · Post by **SMU Football Blog** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:39 pm

Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans wrote:
smupony94 wrote:People buy their stuff not ours

People buy Austin College, SFA, and UNT stuff in Dallas over SMU? Sorry I think there has to be other reasons.

Two points:
Lot of SMU people still aren't buying SMU gear.

Lot of vendors SMU people won't buy from or sell crap smu people won't buy altogether.

mrydel · Post by **mrydel** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:53 pm

We have a shop in our local mall that amazed me a while back by having at least a tshirt from every team I had ever heard of, at least D1. Only place in Arkansas I have found SMU gear. The tshirts were not much to look at but they were there.

Went in Saturday to buy several for my grandchildren. They had a 2 for $20 deal so I figured I would get 10 and put SMU on their "map". Only this time I could not find SMU. I asked and was told the owner wanted some additional room so took out a few schools and SMU was one. Found myself screaming at the poor clerk as to why Rice, ECU, Marshall and most all if not all other CUSA schools had shirts but no SMU. At least I got my message across but I think they have my picture on the wall now.

SMU Football Blog · Post by **SMU Football Blog** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Always remember the vast majority of people on the planet are stupid.

soccermom · Post by **soccermom** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:34 pm

When we opened our store in 99, we checked into ncaa licensing and we weren't willing to do it. Pay licensing fee and have to pay school(s) percentage of their sales. Wasn't worth it for us.

2ndandlong · Post by **2ndandlong** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:35 pm

Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans wrote:I am being totally serious Dutch that it is a running joke with myself and other friends I shop with.

I am being totally serious that I think it is a complete joke that you have friends that you shop with