UTEP Athletics and The Brandr Group Launch Group Licensing for Student-Athletes
EL PASO, Texas – The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Athletics and The Brandr Group (TBG) have established a group licensing agreement for the university’s student-athletes covering all of the Miners’ 17 sports. This partnership creates new opportunities for UTEP student-athletes to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) using the school’s official trademarks and logos. UTEP joins UT Austin, UTSA and UTPB as schools in the University of Texas system that have group licensing agreements with TBG.
“The Brandr Group has been at the forefront of the NIL era, and we are looking forward to partnering with them to provide innovative opportunities for our student-athletes to profit off of their name, image, and likeness,” UTEP Director of Athletics Jim Senter said.
TBG will support the collective use of student-athletes' NIL in licensing and marketing programs, facilitating opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes, while not limiting individual NIL rights. All student-athlete participation is voluntary. Potential licensees interested in learning more should contact Jim Neish at TBG.
TBG, a brand management, marketing and licensing agency, will manage and administer the program as well as develop licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes. With decades of collective management experience for some of the world's largest brands, TBG also manages group rights programs for the NFL, NBA and MLB players associations in the college space.
Products that combine team logos and player names and numbers have accounted for a substantial portion of licensed sports merchandise sales at the professional level for decades, and this program provides the same opportunities for collegiate student-athletes.
“We are excited to be working closely with UTEP Athletics to provide their student-athletes with opportunities to benefit from their NIL,” said Rick Perko, Vice President of Program Development at TBG. “Through this group licensing partnership, UTEP student-athletes will be able to capitalize on co-branded opportunities that span UTEP’s merchandising portfolio. The program will also provide Miners fans with new ways to engage with their favorite players.”
Fans can expect to be able to purchase official UTEP merchandise, including team jerseys with the name and number of Miners players who have joined the respective group licensing program, once TBG enters into agreements with applicable school trademark licensees.
