Wrangler Leverages Group Licensing to Launch Collegiate Collection

Last Updated on August 25, 2022

 Wrangler has announced the launch of a special collection of licensed collegiate apparel. The collection includes men’s and women’s denim jackets, tees and other branded products for 31 schools across the nation, with the University of Texas at Austin being its initial focus.

Wrangler kicking off with University of Texas

At Texas, Wrangler has inked NIL deals with current and former student athletes, including quarterback Quinn Ewers and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, baseball player Trey Faltine, swimmer Caspar Corbeau, softball players Lauren Burke and Mary Iakopo and volleyball players Molly Phillips, Asjia O’Neal and Madisen Skinner. Wrangler will also create a network of campus ambassadors to promote the collection.

“My first pair of jeans were Wranglers and I’ve been wearing them ever since,” said Quinn Ewers, quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. “I’m excited for the opportunity to be an ambassador for Wrangler‘s Collegiate Collection—I think fans are going to love these products.”

Wrangler worked in collaboration with Colosseum Athletics, a leader in collegiate manufacturing with more than 700 license agreements with colleges and universities across the nation, as well as Collegiate Licensing Company to design and produce this collegiate collection.

“I’m excited to partner with Wrangler because it is a company that has had historical success making a product I love—great jeans,” said outside hitter for Longhorns women’s volleyball, Madisen Skinner. “As someone who was born and raised in Texas, Wrangler has been a popular brand among many of those close to me and I love the brand’s mission of making functional jeans for any individual or occasion. The recent collaboration with UT created an opportunity to get to know their brand in a special way that I couldn’t pass up!”

“We are excited to tap into the excitement of college sports with a collection that embraces school spirit and gives students and alumni alike the perfect game day uniform,” says Holly Wheeler, vice president of global marketing for Wrangler. 

“Game days are a core college memory for many of us and the connections made at the start with a love for the school and self-expression. We are excited to introduce fun new styles that will stand out in the crowd as football season ramps up and new connections are made.”

Group licensing brought the deal to life

The partnership between Texas and The Brandr Group allows for the use of student athletes’ NIL in licensing and marketing programs, and Longhorn student athletes have the option to voluntarily join a group licensing program.

“The Brandr Group ensured this was a positive experience all the way around, creating such a unique and fun opportunity to partner with a brand I love and grew up with,” said Skinner. “As a native Texan, working with Wranger was a perfect fit for me and an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”

As part of the launch of the lineup, Texas student-athletes will be promoting officially licensed Wrangler apparel on social media, while Ewers, Overshown and Skinner will be used in various marketing materials as part of the collection’s marketing initiatives.

“When you think of Wrangler  and The University of Texas, you think of two authentic, distinctly American brands,” said Grayson Farrar, Vice President at TBG. “Our team at The Brandr Group was thrilled to work on this project, knowing that Longhorn student-athletes were the ideal ambassadors for this one-of-a-kind collection of apparel and clothing.”

Institutions with custom Wrangler gear

An additional 31 collegiate institutions will roll out with customized Wrangler gear throughout September including:

The Wrangler Collegiate Collection will be on Wrangler.com and in major retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Rally House, Fanatics and Kohl’s, along with participating university bookstores.

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