Frustration

[ShopMeanGreen]

It is complicated and time consuming. Big companies don't want to produce NT merchandise because the don't think they can sell enough. There is such a contrast in kelly green colors because those that do produce for NT don't want to spend the effort to make a better product. Provides a good window for me, but it is slow going.

[SilverEagle]

The contract with Advanced-online started just prior to the 2005 season as I remember. I have no idea how long the contract is etc. Most all of the major schools use CLC. Self licensing would be very expensive and difficult. I truely don't think CLC is any of the problem.

The problem with CLC is that they really don't do anything for the University, other than provide another layer to go thru before a new product/idea is approved. I'm not sure why you think it would be more expensive for North Texas to self-license. They already have in-house attorneys who were pretty available to FFR when he sought to clear-up the issue of our battle flag being illegal.

The problem in that situation was in-house staff at North Texas that had the pea-brained idea that our battle flag was illegal, and kept blocking (or trying to block) people/groups from producing it for sale by trying to say that the University would face the legal wrath of the state of Texas if we did. Even after FFR got an official ruling from the University Attorney that it WASN'T illegal, that same moron kept saying it was, and many people (and sadly many were decision makers) kept believing him.

This is just one isolated incident that is representative of what has been a larger problem at North Texas....unimaginative, petty bureaucrats who's idea of making a decision is to block someone else's new idea(s).

Edited December 24, 2007 by SilverEagle

[ShopMeanGreen]

I should have said it would be difficult and expensive to self license correctly. I agree if done rightit would be better because there would be tighter control. It is difficult for me to sell shirts when every group on campus goes out a prints their own shirts at $8.00. If I have a $8 shirt, there are CLC fees, UNT fess, sales tax, income tax, insurance, etc that comes out of that $8. No larger company is going to put stuff into the wholesale market if they have to have a seperate license from UNT. The wholesale market, WalMart, Sports Authority, Acadeny etc is very different than setting up at games, Voertmans or the bookstore, that's why nothing is available in the laqrger stores. There is a fine line between too small to afford the wholesale market and seling enough to afford the hurdles. Once I am ready to go I think it will take off, stores seem like they want to buy.

[FirefightnRick]

I should have said it would be difficult and expensive to self license correctly. I agree if done rightit would be better because there would be tighter control.

Last I checked, Sam Houston State started their new logos as an independant. Our supplier at Pro Line Hats said it was not uncommon and that Sam Houston was one of the local universities that he knew of that did it to get started. He said there were others as well and he showed me a list. I see very little problem with it compared to dealing with CLC.

Another problem with CLC is that if a manufacturer who is contacted about making XYZ college product for North Texas doesn't have a current CLC agreement with them, they then have to apply for that extension or additional school license. Our guy at Pro Line showed me the applications for CLC and the other licensing company whose name I can't think of at the moment(HMS or SportsMedia?). He stated, "If I need an extension for a certain university to do a hat for them I have to fax this to CLC. They will get back to me...........maybe in 3 to 5 business days on it. However, if I need one for a school that I don't have an extension for that is licensed under HMS I fax this applicaiton to them and they will get back to me within the hour". He then went on to tell me several other examples of how diffcult it is to deal with CLC etc, which I was very familiar with. That's difficulty North Texas DOES NOT NEED.

ShopMeanGreen is looking at this as mostly as a manufacturer and I agree with him 100%. I'm looking at it from a retailers POV because I did not produce the majority of GreenStock's products, I had to order them from manufacturers like ShopMeanGreen and it was an absolute pain in the ass. Silver and I would get suggestions from people here on GMG.com and ask, what is it that y'all would like to see available. Neck ties....Trailer Hiteches....Neon Clocks....Chrome Auto Decals.....etc.. All of the people who hold a CLC license and who makes these things wanted to outright rob me for what they wanted for their products.

Neck Ties.....I ask the manufacturer if he can make me a North Texas Mean Green neck tie. He say's "sure I can, your cost per unit will be $14.00 per tie and your minimum order MUST be 150. That's $2100 I would have to send to the guy for a product I more than likely could not sell more than maybe 25 to 30? So to recover the money I'm out of I would have to mark the tie up so high no one would want it.

Chrome Auto Decal....The manufacture of the one everyone here see's at the auto supply stores, wall mart etc is out of Colorado. They have licenses to do decals for the NFL, NBA, NCAA, MLS, NASCAR...etc and I talked to the second man in charge. I asked..."Can you make me a North Texas Mean Green decal? He say's..."Sure I can. Your cost per unit will be $5 and you must agree to our retail price($8.00 at the time), and your minimal order is 1500 I nearly fell over. That's $7,500 for a product I could never recover the cost of buying. So I asked the guy what the deal was? He said "Well, we don't make anything for North Texas, never have and more than likely you'll be the only one to ever request a product for them, I have to apply for an extension and then have my designers make a plastic injection mold, that's about $2,000 right there for a mold I'll never use again". I said, "So your not only passing off the expense to me but your next year's worth of car payments as well?". Luckily the guy had a sense of humor and said with a chuckle "Well, if you happen to have a 4 cavity injection mold you could lend me I'd be happy to do it for you for a bit less".

That's basically it in a nutshell. If North Texas held it's own licensing then more local manfuacturers could more easily apply to produce products local stores want to supply. When the CHAMPS floor clerks tell you their suppliers can't get it, what they mean is the rep in which their chain buys from doesn't want to go outside of the suppliers they use for numerous reasons.

If you want to experience the pleasure of what it's all about in trying to get something "North Texas" produced then please give it a try yourself.

How about a North Texas Mean Green fight song singin bottle opener.

Their marketed through PACIFIC DIRECT. Click on the link and give them a call during business hours. I doubt you'll be able to get in touch with the actual manufacturer but they should be able to fill you in on what you need to know.

Rick

Edited December 24, 2007 by FirefightnRick

[NT80]

This is just one isolated incident that is representative of what has been a larger problem at North Texas....unimaginative, petty bureaucrats who's idea of making a decision is to block someone else's new idea(s).

That sounds like Denton in general.

[hickoryhouse]

Last I checked, Sam Houston State started their new logos as an independant. Our supplier at Pro Line Hats said it was not uncommon and that Sam Houston was one of the local universities that he knew of that did it to get started. He said there were others ................

Rick

Wow, between you and Shop Mean Green I have learned more about this subject than I every thought was out there in the first place. Thanks. It seems to me that the problem holding up all of the exposure the NT should be getting is the schools administration, current, previous, future it doesn't really matter. We seem to be stuck as a University in a small way of thinking.

But on the other hand it seems that CLC helps many universities make huge amopunts of products that are available from anywhere in the country.... Maybe what we are lacking is sales.... I don't really know what kind of demand it owud take to break us out of the funk that we are in with this material schwag that we are talking about, but essentially it will all boil down to supply and demand, this is a semi-capitalist economy after all.... I guess the question is what demand will it take for this to change.

[GreenAlums]

Wow, between you and Shop Mean Green I have learned more about this subject than I every thought was out there in the first place. Thanks. It seems to me that the problem holding up all of the exposure the NT should be getting is the schools administration, current, previous, future it doesn't really matter. We seem to be stuck as a University in a small way of thinking.

But on the other hand it seems that CLC helps many universities make huge amopunts of products that are available from anywhere in the country.... Maybe what we are lacking is sales.... I don't really know what kind of demand it owud take to break us out of the funk that we are in with this material schwag that we are talking about, but essentially it will all boil down to supply and demand, this is a semi-capitalist economy after all.... I guess the question is what demand will it take for this to change.

I think sales is what may "cure all" but we need to figure out what comes first, (marketing or production) and DO IT! Good marketing will create the demand. Production will promote the provide the product for the shelves and also create sales and there you have it. CLC alone is just a part of the outsourcing we have chosen. How much of the total program of spirit sales do we want to outsource....or bring in house? It's a business decision the university needs to make. But first, they need to understand it to be the priority it needs to be!

[ShopMeanGreen]

I agree with everything above. It is a huge pain to try to get one of the already licensed companies to make anything NT. I look at TONS of Texas Tech stuff every day, I have contacted the manufacturers of some of the products. If I want to carry it I have to buy 144 or some such number and I can't financially justify it. I don't have anywhere to sell it right now. If the wholesale angle works out I may be able to get more stuff done but again that process is totally different and also very time consuming even though the CLC and UNT parts are already finished. Bottom line if I can get some out there and it sells, more manufacturers will start to make there stuff NT as well. It is pretty easy to add NT to an already existing license. I added Texas Tech with 1 sheet of paper, and $500.

[ShopMeanGreen]

Good point Rick brought up...if someone has a CLC license and you ask them to do something NT they will likely do it but will cover their cost for the license...yes stick it to you. Remember though NT gets a cut of that as well. I don't know the exact cut. There is an advanced royalty fee the first of the year even if you sell $.50 worth of product you lose all of it. NT is $250/yr. Tech is $500/yr.

[untphd]

It all sounds much too complicated just to get some NT caps and shirts into local stores. Whatever NT is doing is NOT working to supply the common fan. Meanwhile, Idaho and Akron have items for sale in our local malls.

I just got back from the Mall in Denton. I bought three North Texas sweatshirts for 19.95 each. Hibbett's had several different types of shirts and sweatshirts; with and without collars and/or hoods.

[DeepGreen]

Chinese black market. That's what we need. Find a cheap source in China to make our stuff, fill up a container, and hit the road selling the stuff.

[NT80]

I just got back from the Mall in Denton. I bought three North Texas sweatshirts for 19.95 each. Hibbett's had several different types of shirts and sweatshirts; with and without collars and/or hoods.

A good start for Denton but I'm talking about the Metroplex and beyond. The things I do see are outdated. A sports-collectible shop at Willow Bend had every current style 1-A mini-helmet displayed, except UNT's...2005 green helmet. A Tuesday Morning at Grapevine Mills had college bedspreads hanging from the ceiling..UNT's was that goofy old parrot-eagle logo.

Edited December 24, 2007 by NT80

[Bryan316]

We need crappy-looking shirts to wear at the basketball games in the Spring.

"I'd wear a UNT shirt, but no one sells them."

[FirefightnRick]

By the way, the corporate office of Hibbit's Sports(we actually have one here in Weatherford) is located in Alabama. The head of their marketing and sales department is a Troy Alumnus. After a nice discussion about our university's programs(NT and Troy) I notified him that their location in Denton at the time wasn't carrying much NT product which caught him a bit off guard. He thanked me for letting him know about it and said he would be looking into it that day to get that resolved as he said it wasn't right for them to be there and not carry stuff for the local school. To me this is one way we can be pro active in getting more product out there with companies that have access to our gear. Give em a call. It only took me 10 minutes max to bring this to his attention. Great guy from a great university.

By the way, if your looking for a great NT Mean Green flag for a price better than any where else check out ShopMeanGreen.com. I got mine at the SMU game and absolutely love it. They are the perfect shade of Kelly/Emerald green and as I said, you won't find a better price.

Rick

[SilverEagle]

By the way, the corporate office of Hibbit's Sports(we actually have one here in Weatherford) is located in Alabama. The head of their marketing and sales department is a Troy Alumnus. After a nice discussion about our university's programs(NT and Troy) I notified him that their location in Denton at the time wasn't carrying much NT product which caught him a bit off guard. He thanked me for letting him know about it and said he would be looking into it that day to get that resolved as he said it wasn't right for them to be there and not carry stuff for the local school. To me this is one way we can be pro active in getting more product out there with companies that have access to our gear. Give em a call. It only took me 10 minutes max to bring this to his attention. Great guy from a great university.

By the way, if your looking for a great NT Mean Green flag for a price better than any where else check out ShopMeanGreen.com. I got mine at the SMU game and absolutely love it. They are the perfect shade of Kelly/Emerald green and as I said, you won't find a better price.

Rick

...and you will be doing business with a North Texas alumni as well.

[kj86]

While I agree that the situation is not ideal, the improvement over the last 5 years has been pretty impressive. I have seen Mean Green stuff at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Steve and Barry's, Sports Authority (real nice, but overpriced Adidas stuff) and JC Penny's. This would have been unheard of 5 years ago.

Now, if someone can find me a Mean Green ski jacket, that would me a minor miracle.

[FirefightnRick]

3x5 Mean Green Flag. $25.00

Rick

[JesseMartin]

I got a $50 BBB gift card for Christmas. I went in today and all they had was UT and Aggie stuff. I got a new shower head and other random stuff instead...Oh, how fun it would be to go there and buy UNT towels or a toilet seat cover or shower curtain or something.

Hell, I'd even settle for oven mitts.

[ShopMeanGreen]

I'll add them to my hit list.

[JesseMartin]

BBB or the items?