University of Wisconsin Donates Record Merchandise Profits to Scholarship Program

It’s been a good year for the University of Wisconsin Badgers and Badger fans. The university received more than $4.4 million from royalties from licensed merchandise during the 2015-16 fiscal year, eclipsing the previous record by more than $550,000.

So, what does a university do with all of that money? According to The Daily Cardinal, the university channels the profits not only back into the school’s athletic program, but also the school’s Student Financial Aid office to support Bucky Grants, a program designed to provide need-based financial aid for prospective UW-Madison students.

Of the nearly 200 schools licensed through the Collegiate Licensing company, UW-Madison ranked No. 12, third in the Big Ten conference behind rivals University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

Cindy Van Matre, trademark licensing director, told The Daily Cardinal that the strong merchandise sales is due to a strong performance from the school’s football and men’s basketball seasons, as well as an increase in the royalty rate from the school.

For sports fans buying licensed merchandise and distributors selling it to schools, it’s good to know that the profits are helping students pursue their education.