HanesBrands Named Primary Licensee for Ohio State Fan Apparel

HanesBrands announces an agreement with Ohio State University to serve as one of its primary licensees for select fan apparel products. Through the six-year deal, brokered by trademark licensing agent Beanstalk, HanesBrands delivers an assortment of Ohio State-branded men’s, women’s, youth, and infant/toddler fan apparel across the mass, mid-tier, and campus retail channels.

Ohio State gains access to academic resources through internships and market research studies. The brand will also facilitate corporate social responsibility trips for students and staff to visit manufacturing facilities and review its socially responsible business practices.

The long-term agreement provides a multimillion-dollar royalty revenue commitment to Ohio State. It offers a broad portfolio of brands, including Champion, which has not been available to Buckeye fans for more than five years, Alternative Apparel, Gear for Sports, ComfortWash, and Knights Apparel.

“Securing this relationship with Ohio State, one of the most successful college properties in retail, is a big honor for HanesBrands,” says John Fryer, the company’s president of sports apparel. “We produce more than 30 million licensed garments per year, and 80% of our products are made in Hanes-owned facilities or through dedicated contractors, which gives us greater oversight to ensure our products are manufactured in an environmentally and socially responsible way. We are proud to work with a school that recognizes the importance of social responsibility, and we look forward to delivering an assortment of elevated brands to Buckeye fans and students for years to come.”

As part of the agreement, HanesBrands also provides retail experiences with unique on-campus concept shops and leverages its strategic partnerships with retailers for distribution and in-store presentation for Ohio State apparel.

Now HanesBrands, in addition to Ohio State’s official side-line licensee Nike, serves as the lead apparel licensee in Ohio State’s licensing program that includes various fashion and performance brands.