Club Sports

Boston University Club Sports may all use the Boston University name and BU initials to identify themselves on promotional products and apparel. All Club Sports teams also have access to athletic style marks created specifically for each team. Requests to use any other BU mark should be directed to the Trademark Licensing Office at TMoffice@bu.edu.

Not all Boston University vendors are licensed to produced BU branded merchandise. The University has identified and licensed a set of vendors who are allowed to embellish the BU name and marks on a wide variety of high-quality promotional products and apparel. In addition to knowing that your vendor will know of and meet all of the University’s brand standards, they have each agreed to become members of the Fair Labor Association (FLA) and have signed a Code of Conduct agreeing to ensure that all of the workers who produce BU branded merchandise and apparel are treated fairly and humanly in safe working conditions. A current list of BU licensed vendors allowed to produce branded goods, apparel and uniforms for Club Sports teams can be found on the Club Sports Froms & Policies Page under Branding Guidelines.

The Boston University name, our logos, and all of our other marks and symbols are important and valuable assets to the University. As such, in return for the ability to create branded goods and apparel, each licensed vendor has agreed to pay a royalty fee based on the wholesale value of the product.

As a general rule, all items produced by a BU vendor that include the University name or any logo or mark starts out as royalty bearing. The University does, however, offer to waiver the royalties due on any product produced for internal University buyers on products or apparel used for giveaways, purchased as uniforms, or bought for solely internal use. All that a buyer needs to do is to fill out a BU Trademark Use/Royalty Waiver Request. The request will be approved and returned by the Trademark Licensing Office for you to forward to your licensed vendor.

All products and apparel that is purchased by a BU organization for resale or that is sold by the vendor as part of an online shop will remain royalty bearing. All royalty fees will already be included in the price offered by the vendor and no payment or records are needed from the BU organization.

The Trademark Licensing Office is available to answer any question concerning BU branded promotional products or apparel. We work closely with Athletics and the Marketing & Communications Office, and can be your one-stop resource for any questions about using the University name, logos, and marks on these items. Please contact our office at TMoffice@bu.edu or by phone at (617) 358-7004.