LICENSING & TRADEMARKS

Georgia Southern University is the largest and leading center for higher education below Atlanta and is one of the largest state universities with an enrollment of 20,212. The University's teams, the Eagles, compete nationally on the Division I level with a number of Southern Conference and national championships to their credit including six Division I-AA National Football Championships.

The spirit shared by Georgia Southern students, alumni, friends, and Eagle fans produces a demand for product(s) that display the names, logos, and trademarks associated with Georgia Southern University. Other uses of the names, logos, and trademarks are approved and monitored through the Office of Licensing and Trademark Administration to ensure that the marks are used according to design standards and to protect ownership of the marks.

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Help us encourage more retailers to sell officially licensed Georgia Southern merchandise in their stores. Whether you are going to a mall in Atlanta or visiting a sports store in Columbus, download and print the "Ask for Georgia Southern" card and take one to your local retailer. Tell them they are missing out on potential sales and encourage them to sell Georgia Southern.

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FAQ

Why does Georgia Southern have a Licensing & Trademarks program?
Protection. The licensing program serves to protect the reputation of the University by ensuring that only approved representations of the University's marks appear before the public, and that the product(s) bearing these marks are of approved quality.

Promotion. Licensed product(s) bearing logos and graphics that suggest quality and excellence play a major role in recruiting students and faculty, in garnering alumni support, and in establishing distinctiveness among schools.

Revenue. Royalties generated help offset costs of the licensing program and provide an added source of revenue to support other programs.

What is a Georgia Southern trademark?
A Georgia Southern trademark is any mark, symbol, word, or letters that have become associated with Georgia Southern University. Examples include the following:

Georgia Southern University®
Georgia Southern University Eagles®
The Eagle Head Logo®
The Strutting Eagle®
Athletic logos and wordmarks®
Eagles in Georgia Southern University logotype®
Official University Seal®

Who owns the Georgia Southern trademarks and decides how they can be used?
The Georgia Southern trademarks are property of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The Board of Regents sets guidelines for how the marks can be used and puts the responsibility to monitor and control all use of the marks in the hands of Georgia Southern. At Georgia Southern, the trademark licensing program is located in the Office of the Vice President for Business and Finance.

How can you determine if a product is officially licensed by the University?
Georgia Southern University participates in the Collegiate Licensed Properties Association (CLPA) Authentication Program, which is designed to protect legitimate licensees from the onslaught of unlicensed and counterfeit product(s) found in the market today. Eagle fans want their souvenirs to be as authentic as their support for Georgia Southern. The red, white, and blue CLPA labels and hangtags provide assurance that a product meets high standards of quality and has been approved by the University. Because royalties the University collects from the sale of licensed merchandise ultimately benefit Georgia Southern students, buying officially licensed merchandise shows support for the University in more ways than one.

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