Every March, as brackets lock and buzzer-beaters loom, branded merchandise becomes an essential extension of the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

For universities, sponsors and retailers, branded merch is both a revenue driver and a storytelling vehicle, capturing the emotion of a Cinderella run or a blue blood program’s dominance in real time.

“March Madness is a perfect example of how branded merchandise creates a connection between fans and their collegiate teams,” says Jay Deutsch, CEO and co-founder of BDA, PPAI 100’s No. 7 distributor.

In addition to March Madness merch, BDA is working on high-profile activations for sponsors, including VIP gifting, fan giveaways, uniforms and more. The Woodinville, Washington-based company also supports the NCAA with merchandise and execution for room drops, entertainment lounges and a custom collection of volunteer and staffing apparel.

March Madness is a perfect example of how branded merchandise creates a connection between fans and their collegiate teams.”

Jay Deutsch

CEO/Co-Founder, BDA

“The entire BDA team truly appreciates the continued opportunity to support the NCAA and this amazing time in sports,” Deutsch says.

Full-Court Press

What makes March Madness especially unique for the merch industry is the compressed production window.

Selection Sunday sets the field, but it also triggers a high-stakes supply chain sprint. Within hours, licensed apparel partners begin designing and approving graphics tied to specific teams and matchups. Suppliers rely on pre-positioned blank inventory, streamlined approval processes and nearshoring or domestic production to meet demand.

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Digital printing and heat-transfer technologies allow for shorter runs and rapid pivots, reducing the risk of excess inventory tied to teams that may be eliminated early. At the same time, distributors coordinate with logistics partners to ensure product lands in campus bookstores, big-box retailers and e-commerce channels just as fan excitement peaks.

All of the above shirts were produced by Something Inked.


“It’s a bit complicated as we have 151 total college licenses and add new ones weekly but, because of our deal with the NCAA, we’re actually allowed to work with every school in the tournament,” says Bill Feldberg, executive vice president of marketing and business development at Something Inked, PPAI 100’s No. 19 distributor.

“For instance, we had 10 different orders on Monday for ‘Sweet 16’ schools that had to be produced same day and shipped Tuesday. Because we have our own shop that we own and operate along with a network of print partners, we’re able to maneuver very quickly and have teams around the country on standby to get rolling as soon as the art is approved.”

Slam Dunk

Feldberg credits David Schneiderman, chief procurement officer at Something Inked, for inspiring the company’s burgeoning licensing division after visiting his grandson at Purdue University and envisioning all the merch opportunities.

In December of 2024, Something Inked launched its college licensing program (SI Originals), which really ramped up last summer with an ESPN College Game Day partnership (merch.espn.com).  

Feldberg says the success of the ESPN relationship resulted in the Nashville, Tennessee-based company working with the College Football Playoffs and National Championship, which has since led to March Madness opportunities.

We’ve essentially brought our expertise from the concert world with quick turn arounds on custom apparel and event merchandise… to the college sports world.”

Bill Feldberg

EVP of Marketing & Business Development, Something Inked

“We’ve essentially brought our expertise from the concert world with quick turn arounds on custom apparel and event merchandise, along with pop-up shops at events, to the college sports world,” Feldberg says. “Whereas a lot of companies plan out their lines months in advance, we’re able to pivot and turn out current designs relevant to the latest happenings in days, sometimes even hours.” 

Feldberg says Stephanie Reimer, director of licensing, and Wendy Harmon, director of licensed sales and operations, lead the division with the support of the entire leadership team with Todd Schneiderman, vice president of sales, and Mike Zagurski, vice president of sales, helping to drive the growth. 

“It has been an amazing run that’s just getting started,” Feldberg says. “We’re receiving new opportunities daily from partners outside of the college realm to offer licensed promo products as well as direct to consumer sales.”