HanesBrands, the world’s largest supplier of collegiate fan apparel, today announced a new relationship with The University of Texas at Austin to be one of its primary apparel partners. The 10-year strategic agreement will lead to the development of a consumer-driven collection of fan apparel that provides Longhorn fans with “A Selection As Big As Texas.”
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Delivering on its commitment to elevating the University of Texas' Longhorn brand, HanesBrands has already completed work on a new, one-of-a-kind Champion shop experience at The Co-op in Austin. Fan response to the apparel has been very positive – with near record sales during the first football gameday. (Photo: Business Wire)
Texas joins the University of Georgia, University of North Carolina, University of South Carolina, The Ohio State University, and University of Cincinnati as primary apparel partners with HanesBrands (HBI). The agreement awards exclusive rights in the mass, campus and local channels through 2032.
HBI, which owns the iconic Champion and Hanes brands, will focus on designing and manufacturing Texas fan gear for the local Austin market and national supercenter and club retailers. Texas will also continue its partnership with Nike as the provider of performance products and specific fan merchandise for the Longhorns’ Athletics programs.
“Texas Athletics and Longhorn fans represent the spirit, tradition and leadership embodied by our Champion brand, and we are excited to be a part of this innovative apparel strategy,” said John Fryer, HBI’s president of sports apparel. “In addition to the experiential Champion shop at The Co-op, we are delivering exceptional assortments of Longhorns gear to more than 750 national retailers’ store locations. And we look forward to building on our promise of quality and fashion for Texas fans.”
Delivering on its commitment to elevating the Longhorn brand, HBI has already completed work on a new, one-of-a-kind Champion shop experience at The Co-op in Austin. In addition, the company’s award-winning design center of excellence created “Red River Showdown” apparel that highlights the unique traditions that make the rivalry truly special. The designs debuted this week and signify the first of many retail programs expected during the 10-year deal.
“HanesBrands is committed to significantly expanding the assortment and distribution of Texas merchandise, which complements our fan-focused licensed merchandise strategy,” said Drew Martin, executive senior associate athletics director for external affairs at UT-Austin. “We selected HBI because the company is invested in a true brand partnership with the university and Texas Athletics as we work to provide ‘A Selection As Big As Texas’ for Longhorn fans. We have already seen a very positive fan response to the HBI apparel – with near record sales on our first football gameday.”
The new partnership with HBI follows a detailed analysis of the Texas trademark licensing program and a competitive proposal process completed in conjunction with the university’s exclusive licensing agent, CLC. In addition to these exclusive programs, Texas will also continue to partner with other best-in-class licensees in key product categories to meet the needs of Texas fans.
About HanesBrands
HanesBrands (NYSE: HBI) makes everyday apparel that is known and loved by consumers around the world for comfort, quality and value. Among the company’s iconic brands are Hanes, the leading basic apparel brand in the United States and Champion, an innovator at the intersection of lifestyle and athletic apparel, along with fan favorites Alternative and Gear for Sports. HBI employs 61,000 associates in 47 countries and has built a strong reputation for workplace quality and ethical business practices. The company, a longtime leader in sustainability, has set aggressive 2030 goals to improve the lives of people, protect the planet and produce sustainable products. HBI is building on its unmatched strengths to unlock its #FullPotential and deliver long-term growth that benefits all of its stakeholders.
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Contacts:
or carole.crosslin@hanes.com
