Kentucky College Basketball Title Brings 40% Rise in Royalties

University of Kentucky royalties from licensed merchandise sales rose 40 percent in the past year, helped largely by the school’s eighth college basketball national championship.

Merchandise royalties at the Lexington-based school, which won the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament title in April, grew to $6.73 million in the 12 months ended June 30 from $4.80 million the previous year, according to Jason Schlafer, the senior associate athletic director for corporate and university relations.