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Source: The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.mini storageAug. 30--After the University of Oregon reversed itself and announced Thursday that it would not change its process of selecting apparel and headwear trademark licensing partners, Rick Lieberson allowed himself to dream.Lieberson, owner of Canby-based T Line Design, Inc., has been fighting the UO's plan since it was announced in June.The university's request for proposal set a minimum threshold of $500,000 in royalties to be paid annually to the university for any individual partner. It would take about $5 million in wholesale sales to reach that level of royalties, effectively cutting out small vendors.No such targets previously had been set and small business owners such as Lieberson and John Henzie of Triangle Graphics in Eugene accused the university of squeezing them out in favor so it could partner instead with a large company in an effort to expand the university's brand nationally.School officials never disputed that characterization. A consultant's report recommended as much, asserting the university could streamline the number of apparel and headwear licensee's it deals with (now more than 100) and increase revenue in the process.Henzie said the consultant was wrong, basing the recommendation on the experience of universities in regions are more populated than Oregon.Regardless, the university took a 180-degree turn on the plan Thursday.Lieberson would like to believe the university dropped the plan for altruistic reasons."I would like to think they looked into their hearts, put profit margin aside and put the value of keeping the University of Oregon licensees here in Oregon," he said, "keeping the jobs in Oregon and keeping the creativity here in Oregon where it should be."Lieberson conceded such a view is "naive to think that they weren't feeling some pressure from Salem."At least two legislators, state Sen. Alan Olsen, R-Canby, and state Rep. Bill Kennemer, R-Oregon City, had raised questions with the university over the proposed changes."A bunch of us...thought it was notself storagea very Oregonian ting for the university to eliminate our local apparel people throughout the state," said Kennemer, who district includes T Line Design.Kennemer acknowledged the UO's contention that it probably could make more money with the new licensing plan."They may have been able to get more money," he said. "But you know, when Oregonians stick together, community is more valuable than revenue."There were 23 proposals submitted under the new proposed guidelines and "a number of them" said they would be capable of meeting the $500,000 royalty minimum, said Matt Dyste, the university's director of marketing and brand management. He declined to say how many, although he said it was fewer than 10.The request also required respondents to show how their proposals would involve and work with Oregon businesses.During the request process, the university, under pressure from state legislators, said the $500,000 threshold would not be a minimum for all submissions.Dyste declined to speculate about whether the university might revive the process later.The university request for proposals did not extend to other vendor agreements for novelty products such as decals, car flags, sunglasses and other non-apparel merchandise bearing university trademarks.It specifically did not apply to Nike, either. The Oregon-based sports equipment company has a separate apparel deal with the UO athletic department. However, school officials had said Nike was welcome to apply to for the apparel and headwear deal, too.The proposed changes would have taken effect in July of next year.UO licensing revenue has increased more than 155 percent since 2009 and is expected to exceed $3.5 million this year.There is one significant change that took effect this fiscal year for trademark licensees: The royalty percentage they have to pay the university has increased from 10 to 12 percent.-- Allan BrettmanCopyright: ___ (c)2013 The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) Visit The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) at .oregonian.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉