Indianapolis – Learfield Licensing Partners, a trademark management company specializing in collegiate licensing and branding, collaborated with long-time client Mississippi State University to create “Bulldog Legends,” an exclusive program developed with MSU sideline partner adidas to celebrate former Bulldog athletic greats.
adidas created unique looks for each of the three MSU legends included in the initial launch of the “Bulldog Legends” program. The inclusion of special design elements help to celebrate each athlete’s legacy and the era in which they starred for the Bulldogs. Those celebrated in the first collection include:
Will Clark (Baseball, 1983-85). Clark was one of the most prolific hitters in MSU baseball history, finishing his college career with a .391 batting average – a record that stands to this day. Clark was a two-time All-American (including a consensus first-team selection in 1985) and won the Golden Spikes award in 1985. He was a second-round draft pick by the San Francisco Giants, and went on to become a six-time All-Star in his 15-year Major League Baseball career, finishing with a .303 lifetime batting average. He won two Silver Slugger awards (1989 and 1991) and a Gold Glove award in 1991. He was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006 and the MSU Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
Bailey Howell (Basketball, 1957-59). Known as the greatest name in MSU basketball history, Howell was a two-time All-American (including a consensus first-team selection in his senior season) and a three-time all-SEC selection during his career with the Bulldogs, and ranks second on the list of all-time leading scorers at MSU with 2,030 points. Howell played 12 seasons in the NBA and was named an all-star six times, along with winning two NBA titles with the Boston Celtics (1968 and 1969). Howell was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.
Dak Prescott (Football, 2011-15). Prescott finished his career at Mississippi State holding 38 school records for passing and offensive production and remains the all-time passing yards leader with 9,376, and the all-time leader in passing touchdowns with 70. A two-time first team all-SEC pick, Prescott is currently having a great rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys.
Learfield Licensing will work together with Mississippi State athletics and trademark licensing, along with adidas, to support the program at retail with signage, advertising and social media. The initial product offering will be available at the Barnes & Noble at Mississippi State bookstore; Academy Sports, Campus Book Mart, The Lodge and Sports Center in Starkville; and online at hailstatestore.com. Plans are in process to add additional products to the line and to review the program annually to add future legends.
“It is such an honor to be able to recognize some of our greatest Bulldog sports legends in this exclusive collection from adidas,” said Scott Wetherbee, senior associate athletic director for external affairs at Mississippi State. “We look forward to expanding the collection with additional MSU legends and working with adidas to create products and designs that celebrate our rich history and tradition.”
About Learfield Licensing Partners
Learfield Licensing Partners is a world-class licensing firm whose services and success align perfectly with Learfield’s history, strength and reputation within the industry. We strive to provide the best practices and strategies in the industry to properly protect and promote our clients’ brands, and couple that with new resources and strategies for growth with help from Learfield, which has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape. Learfield 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.
About adidas
adidas is a global designer and developer of athletic and lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission to be the best sports brand in the world. As an innovation and design leader, adidas engineers the best in high-performance products to make athletes better, faster and stronger and creates a range of classic and fresh lifestyle and high-fashion lines.