INDIANAPOLIS – Learfield Licensing Partners, a trademark management company specializing in collegiate licensing and branding, and the Pac-12 Conference, have developed a unique opportunity with LIDS that lets fans create their own “trophy” commemorating the Pac-12 Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, presented by New York Life, held in Las Vegas.

Through the month of March, customers who purchase a hat bearing the marks of a Pac-12 Conference member at any LIDS location nationwide or online at www.lids.com may have the official Pac-12 Conference Tournament logo added to the hat for an additional charge at a LIDS “Custom Zone” location. LIDS locations in Las Vegas will feature Pac-12 signage, and Custom Zone locations nationwide will run video content in-store featuring the limited-time program.
Learfield Licensing developed all of the creative for the program, including videos for in-store and social media (https://bit.ly/PAC12xLIDS), in-store signage, and program toolkits for member schools, the Conference and LIDS. The program will be promoted with video content during Tournament play in T-Mobile Arena and via social engagements with LIDS.

“We are very excited to work with LIDS on this unique merchandise opportunity for our fans,” said Danette Leighton, chief marketing officer for the Pac-12 Conference. “This program helps us further promote our great tournament in our host city of Las Vegas as well as to our fans across the country.”

“Custom programs like this help us to make an even deeper connection with Pac-12 fans,” said John DeWaal, vice president of marketing for LIDS. “The Pac-12 is followed by basketball fans across the country, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer a unique merchandise experience for those fans located in the conference footprint, in the host city of Las Vegas and nationwide.”

“It’s been great working with the Pac-12 and LIDS on this special opportunity,” said Ben Emmons, vice president of brand marketing for Learfield Licensing. “The program messaging really captures the energy and excitement around the Pac-12 tournament, and we’re thrilled to be able to help share the Conference’s nationwide appeal with LIDS consumers.”

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 LIDS Sports Group
The LIDS Sports Group, operating within Hat World, Inc., is comprised of the LIDS retail headwear stores, the LIDS Locker Room specialty fan retail chain, the LIDS Clubhouse retail stores and the Internet businesses www.lids.com; www.lidslockerroom.com; www.lidsclubhouse.com, and www.lids.ca. Operating out of Indianapolis, Indiana, the retail businesses make up more than 1,000 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet locations nationwide, and in Canada and Puerto Rico. LIDS retail stores offer officially licensed and branded headwear of collegiate teams, major professional sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories in the latest styles and colors. LIDS Locker Room is a mall-based retailer of sports headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties which also operates under the Sports Fan-Attic and Sports Avenue retail concepts. Most LIDS and LIDS Locker Room stores also offer custom embroidery capability. LIDS Clubhouse operates team-specific professional sports and university athletics retail stores and e-commerce websites. Hat World, Inc. is a subsidiary of Genesco Inc.

About The Pac-12 Conference
Recognized as the ‘Conference of Champions’ for its unequaled NCAA Championships, the Pac-12 Conference is comprised of the 12 leading universities located in the Western United States: The University of Arizona; Arizona State University; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of Colorado; the University of Oregon; Oregon State University; Stanford University; the University of Southern California; the University of Utah; the University of Washington, and Washington State University. For more information on the Conference’s programs, member institutions, and Commissioner Larry Scott, visit www.pac-12.com/conference.