Iconologic Opens Six Collegiate Merchandise Sites; Will Add Up To 100 Next Year

Iconologic opened six new online stores offering the licensed merchandise of some of the country's largest universities. The branding firm, Shopmyteam Network, is expanding following two years of success with shopuga.com, which sells licensed merchandise of the University of Georgia. Plans call for up to 100 new schools in the next year.

In addition to the UGA site at www.shopuga.com, the new schools and online stores include: Florida State University: www.shopseminoles.com; University of Connecticut: www.shophuskies.com; University of Kentucky: www.shopwildcats.com; University of Michigan: www.shopwolverines.com; University of Nebraska: www.shopcornhuskers.com; and University of Texas: www.shoplonghorns.com.

The stores include more than 10 merchandise categories ranging from T-shirts, sweatshirts and caps to accessories, baby/kids' products and golf merchandise. Each site also offers a free downloadable screensaver with an interactive team schedule that automatically updates after each game.

"We offer an alternative to small stores that promote merchandise online, but don't offer electronic transactions and Internet superstores that cover a lot of schools, but only sell a handful of items," said Ben Friedman, Iconologic partner and founder of ShopMyTeam. The ShopMyTeam online stores include color photos, automated order-status information, a search function and credit-card acceptance. All products are officially licensed through The Collegiate Licensing Co., with a portion of sales paid to the schools being represented. However, the schools are not involved with the sites themselves.