Football championship season to bring in $2M

The national football championship has brought more than recognition, parades, and pep rallies to the University - it's also brought money.

Paul Schager, the University's licensing director, said the total revenue from Rose Bowl and national championship licenses will be nearly $1 million. The University also will bring in about $950,000 from combined bowl game revenues from the Big Ten Conference, making total profits about $2 million.

Each Big Ten school gets an equal amount of money from the Conference each year, regardless of their season record.

"Revenues for the Rose Bowl and the national championship might exceed ($1 million) or it may be less than that," Schager said.

SARA STILLMAN/Daily Steve and Barry's store, one of many stores that have profited from Michigan's season, continues to get shipments of T-shirts to meet the demand.

Although actual figures will not be available for a few months, Schager said University officials have estimated the total revenue through informal discussion with retailers.

"They say sales are going extremely well," Schager said. "We were fortunate enough to win a national championship and there will be benefits from that."

The University works with 700 licensees, although not all of those will vend Rose Bowl or national championship paraphernalia, Schager said.

"Throughout the year, there are always people who want to get on board," Schager said.

Local merchants said they also have benefited from the national championship.

"It's tripled our business for the year," said Daniel Switzer, general manger of Steve and Barry's University Sportswear on State Street. "National championship T-shirts are outselling everything else 10-to-1."

Switzer said he expects sales to taper off during the winter, but the store will keep selling merchandise into next year's football season.

"There will be alumni back in Ann Arbor who will want a T-shirt," Switzer said.

Joshua Eagle, a sales associate for Moe Sport Shops, said sales are uncommonly high for this time of year.

"January is usually an off-time, but we've been hiring new people," Eagle said. "After the Rose Bowl, things really picked up. This has been record-breaking for us - people were really hungry for the Rose Bowl."

Walter Harrison, vice president for University relations, said there also may be immeasurable results from the national title, such as the possibility of an increase in the number of applicants for Fall 1998's incoming class.

"It does improve the way people feel about this institution," Harrison said. "If people feel better about their University, it certainly has benefits.

"One of the things that makes people feel good is successful athletics," he said.

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