South Florida Bulls: The Hottest Merchandise Around….
Behind the new Cinderella are some of the greatest business tales. I chronicled Boise State’s rise to prominence as the nation’s most well-known non-BCS football program and Gonzaga’s marketing boom during their campaigns in the NCAA Tournament.
I adore the tale that the South Florida Bulls have developed for this reason. You’re all familiar with the story by now. They are now rated sixth in the AP Top 25 after defeating West Virginia and Auburn. And just as the Bulls have become more popular, so has their apparel.
For Jeffrey Neil Fox, the proprietor of Bucs & Bulls Heaven in Tampa, the official shop of the school and an alum, that’s a good thing. Fox stated that he typically sells the same quantity each year.
With 45,000 enrolled, South Florida’s number substantially surpasses the combined numbers of Gonzaga (6,500) and Boise State (19,000). However, USF is tiny potatoes in the eyes of the licensed clothing makers.
The Collegiate Licensing Company states that USF placed 63rd in terms of royalties during the previous fiscal year. As a result, they were ranked higher than schools like UTEP (68), Wyoming (64), Baylor (65), Marquette (66), and UCF (67). But beware of Gonzaga (56), Fresno State (57), TCU (58), and Northwestern (59)—USF’s 4-0 start is sure to assure a record-breaking year in royalties.
“We’ve had a lot of calls from licensees and retailers over the last few weeks,” Collegiate Licensing Company director of university services Mike Carlton said. Collegiate Licensing Company manages the licensing programs for more than 200
39 different Wal-Marts now carry South Florida apparel, according to Carlton, which he described as a “consideratble jump up from where they would have been.” According to Carlton, Dillard’s has increased its orders and is now stocking USF merchandise in all of its Tampa locations.
According to Fox, his USF company could easily sell five times as much USF memorabilia as he did the previous year. His store appears to be the most job-friendly site in all of Florida, as the phones are always ringing off the line. Fox explained, “This is how it works.” “I’ll put you in a shirt and get you working before you can even fill out an application if you come in and ask for a job.”