Sacramento State licensed apparel is now available at local Target stores.

David Levy, the director of marketing for University Enterprises, Inc. confirmed that women’s active wear is on the shelves at several different locations in the greater Sacramento region.

The university started this program through its contract with the Collegiate License Company that helps institutions protect trademarks.

The company applies for the licenses in different categories such as men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, glass wear, paper products etc., and then manufacturers can submit designs for approval to Levy.

Internally, clubs and organizations can use the university marks on t-shirts for example, without having to be licensed, but anything that is going to be resold to the general public needs to be licensed, Levy said.

The licensing company made a deal with the Target Store Corporation, and the University had no involvement in decision.

We have no control over it; it’s driven by the marketplace. The stores will order what they think they will sell, Levy said.

Gear for Sports is licensed to sell Sac State trademarks for the company, and they are producing Champion C9 active wear for women.

They are going to start with women’s clothing, and if it sells, they’ll produce men and children’s apparel, Levy said. It all depends on if the brand has feet and can cut it in the market place.

The brands VF Image Wear and Knight’s Apparel are ready to manufacture men’s and children’s apparel.

Levy said there is no set timeline for additional apparel appearing in the Target stores.

Sarah Engelhardt, a Sac State student and jewelry specialist at the Alta Arden Target location said the general public has not really been buying the merchandise.

A lot of college students have been buying it, and they’re surprised that we have it, Engelhardt said.

James, an alumnus of Sac State and CTO in charge of groceries at the Alta Arden location, said the apparel will be going on sale this week and appearing in a Sunday advertisement James preferred to be referenced only by his first name.

A lot of people don’t know we have it here, so when it starts to get marketed, sales should pick up, James said.

The profits of the Target apparel are broken down and redistributed to different parties. Levy said 38 percent of the royalties go to the licensing company for licensing and fees, while only 8 percent of the profit comes back to the university. The rest goes to the manufacturer for productions costs.

Royalties have slowly and steadily been creeping up over the years, Levy said.

Levy said the university was looking at Hometown Sports in the Sacramento International Airport and Lids at the Arden Fair Mall to sell merchandise as well.

Anything that helps raise awareness and appreciation of the university is good, Levy said.

He added that the success of athletic branded merchandise would tailgate on the success of the athletic program.

Winning seasons would help convince Target that the athletic program is worth ordering the apparel, Levy said.

Levy says he hopes consumers will want to pay the extra 8 percent for something marked instead of unmarked.

The Champion active wear sold in the Target stores is not available at the Hornet Bookstore, so there is a benefit in going to Target to buy this apparel, Levy said.

Selling licensed things is not going to be cheap. Especially when the university’s good name and good will is plastered on it, Levy said.

Levy says Follet, the company that oversees the Hornet Bookstore, is working with the university to bring more prestigious brands to consumers. New this year is licensed Under Armor apparel in the Hornet Bookstore.

The new bookstore will have so much more room to display more licensed material for the consumers. Follet really likes to sell collegiate branded things, Levy said.

Follet set-up a display case of alumni merchandise in the Alumni Center because the marketplace is huge and the loyalty factor is there Levy said.

Hopefully the value of the institution will translate into a perceived value for the consumer, Levy said. There are so many facets to this program. The main point of the program is to benefit the whole school.

Elizabeth Wilson can be reached at [email protected]