Fewer items with that iconic Nittany Lions logo are winding up on store shelves.
Penn State has fallen to 19th on the list of universities that generate royalties from merchandise sales.
The Centre Daily Times reports Penn State dropped seven slots, from 12th, in the most recent year tracked by Collegiate Licensing Co. The Atlanta, Ga.-based company helps major universities license sports and novelty products, and tracks those sales.
Penn State's ranking dropped in the most recent fiscal year, which ended June 30. The University of Texas at Austin led the list for the eighth year in a row with Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan and Kentucky rounding out the Top 5. CLC reports that they officially licensed an estimated $4.63 billion in clothing and other merchandise in 2012.
Penn State spokeswoman attributed some of the drop to the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, saying “it would be impossible for a university -- or any organization -- to experience the unprecedented events that Penn State has been through and not expect some decline in sales.”
Penn State was in the Top 10 on the CLC list as recent as 2011. The Sandusky scandal that rocked the university and brought down many of its leaders including legendary head football coach Joe Paterno, broke in Nov. 2011.
Rutgers is the only other area school to land in CLC’s Top 75 schools coming in at No. 57.
