Michigan Football Players Reach Deal with 'The M Den' to License Jerseys

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Michigan Athletics' official merchandise retailer, The M Den, is now selling licensed jerseys with the names of current Wolverines football players thanks to the NCAA's name, image and likeness policy. 

On Friday afternoon, the store's website announced options to place the names of current team members on the official Jordan Brand jerseys it sells. That includes quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara, wideout Ronnie Bell, tailback Hassan Haskins and long-snapper William Wagner among the selections.  

Per The Action Network's Darren Rovell:

"So far, 50 players on this year’s roster have signed deals and are available for order. [The M Den owner Scott] Hirth said The M Den was assisted by Valiant Management, a division of the Valiant brand, a line that was offered exclusively at The M Den. When name, image and likeness began, owners Jared and John Wangler, the latter of whom a quarterback at Michigan from 1976-80, sprung into action and helped The M Den aggregate the approval of players for licensing.

"Each jersey has to be personalized in a custom manner by either an online or in store order, meaning there won’t be jerseys of a particular player hanging on the rack. These jerseys will cost $120 for names and numbers to be ironed on and $180 for them to be sewn."

Hirth told Rovell players will be compensated with the same percentage multiplied by how many jerseys are sold and noted each sale will net players at least $10 and is likely to produce a higher revenue flow for the players than the store itself. 

“We wanted to do the best that we could for these players,” Hirth said. “Yes, we are a for-profit business, but we are partners with the school.”

It's unclear if similar deals will be struck with the men's basketball team or the women's sports teams at the university. 

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