INDIANAPOLIS — Learfield Licensing Partners, a trademark management company specializing in collegiate licensing and branding, named League Collegiate Wear as the recipient of the 2016 Dick Rademaker Excellence Award during the annual CAMEX tradeshow, held March 6-8 in Houston.
The Award was established in 2013 by the Licensing Resource Group (LRG), which was acquired by Learfield in July of 2014. Rademaker spent his entire career in the licensed product industry, helping to build the brands of such notable names as John Roberts, Velva Sheen and Champion Products, as well as starting his own successful rep business. Dick’s belief in the value of partnership between licensees, trademark owners and retailers led to the founding of LRG in 1991, and his vision and entrepreneurial spirit helped to shape collegiate licensing into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today. This award is given annually to a company who exhibits the qualities that Dick embodied throughout his career: innovation, partnership, creativity and leadership.
“It is an honor to be able to pay tribute to Dick’s life and career with this award,” said Bob Bernard, president and CEO Learfield Licensing. “League Collegiate Wear has been a great licensee partner and represents the qualities Dick looked for in a company and in a partner, and it’s a pleasure to recognize their hard work and continued success.”
Learfield Licensing also recognized its top licensees in five categories for their success in 2015:
Top Apparel Licensees: Champion Custom Products, Under Armour and Knights Apparel
Top Non-Apparel Licensees: Commemorative Brands, Jostens and Herff Jones,
Fastest Growing Apparel Licensee: Spirit Jersey
Fastest Growing Non-Apparel Licensee: Tailgate Sports Games
Top New Licensee: FanPrint, Inc.
Learfield acquired both SMA and LRG in 2014. These two industry-leading agencies now combine their more than 40 years of experience to create Learfield Licensing Partners, a world-class licensing firm that integrates each company’s services and success to align perfectly with Learfield’s history, strength and reputation within the industry. Our goal is to provide the best practices and strategies in the industry to properly protect and promote your brand, and couple that with new resources and strategies for growth with help from Learfield, which has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape. The company manages the multimedia and sponsorship rights for more than 120 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas, and supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the Learfield Directors’ Cup. For more than four decades, Learfield has connected brands to the excitement, passion, tradition, fun and fans of college sports and now leverages multiple platforms and partnerships through distinct offerings through its affiliated companies.