Licensing division relocated to Athletic Department

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Center for English as a Second Language student Rie Mizukami browses through UA apparel at the ASUA Bookstore yesterday. In the past the Memorial Student Union has made $325,000 per year on Arizona licensed merchandise.

"We are very happy with the move," UA assistant Athletic Director John Perrin said. "We have a very aggressive marketing department and are excited to have this opportunity. When you realize that most of the licensed sales are related to athletics, it makes more sense."

Michael Low, the head of marketing, will accompany the division and athletics will now pick up the $100,000 in yearly expenses needed to run the program.

This move means that every penny the school makes off Arizona licensed merchandise will have to go through the Athletic Department. In the past, the Memorial Student Union has made about $325,000 per year on licensed products. This year, however, the UA is scheduled to make between $700,000 and $1 million because of its national championship.

Right now, the division is getting logo requests for everything from water bottles and T-shirts to golf clubs and barbecue grills.

"We are really getting all kinds of requests due to the team's success," said Dan Adams, director of the Student Union. "In general, the business community likes the exposure gained by generating products that support the university."

With this increased interest, both sides decided on putting the additional money earned into athletics.

"We feel that the Athletic Department offers a bigger potential for growth than Student Affairs," Low said. "But there will be little change in the way the program is run."

Under the new plan, the Student Union would still be guaranteed its money, but the Athletic