Hi there: Our company has created a new computer accessory that is
suitable for imprinting logos and names.  The item's final price will
comparable to a mouse pad, but the item is very unique and has two
patents pending.  We are interested in securing licensing agreements
with colleges (to start), but are not sure how to proceed and want to
maximize the return on our efforts.
Questions:
1) Do U.S. colleges typically license merchandise with manufacturers
like us, or with the major distributors that sell to retail outlets? 
In other words, should we contact the distributors or the colleges to
seek licensing agreements.
2) How is a typical college licensing agreement structured?  Is there
an up-front fee, and if so, how much?  In addition, I've been told
that colleges usually expect 7-9% of the retail price, and want to
know if this is accurate.

Thanks in advance.

Some universities manage their own trademark property and others farm
it out. For example, I know USC and Washington State manage their own.
You'd need to search for each college that manages its own. I believe
that most will have a licensing fee and they will require product
liability insurance on some if not all products.

USC link (USC+logo+licensing) 
http://www.usc.edu/identity/products/frequently_asked_questions/#faqman

Other schools will have similar pages and processes. I'd narrow down
my list of properties based on student population and alumni
population. Washington State for example has one of the most active
alumni groups. NCAA D1 schools will net you more customers than D2, D3
or NAIA schools.

Inital search in Google: College+Logo+Licensing
The first link showed a cease and desist leter from Collegiate
Licensing Company that lead me to Collegiate+Licensing+Company as a
search term.

I did find a link to a company that manages the trademarks for over
180 universities and colleges.
http://www.clc.com/Pages/home2.html

Below is a link from their FAQ that discusses the process of signing up. 

http://www.clc.com/Pages/home2.html

What is involved in applying for a license?
Response to Question:

 Obtaining a license through CLC for one of its Member Institutions is
a process that will require a great deal of thought, research, and
commitment on your behalf. With more than 2,000 companies already
licensed to produce a wide range of products, CLC and each institution
analyze every application with great diligence. Less than 20% of all
applications sent out by CLC are ever accepted to become licensees.
Only those companies that can exhibit a commitment to the collegiate
market, have established production and distribution capabilities,
and/or offer a new or unique product will be granted the opportunity
to obtain a CLC License.

It takes a significant investment in time and money to complete the
licensing process. Below are some of the costs involved in becoming a
licensee:

- Application Fee ($50 - $250 range)
- Annual Administrative Fees ($0-$250)
- Advance Royalty Fees ($0 - $1,000 per university)
- Cost of Obtaining $1,000,000 in Product Liability Insurance ($100's
- $1,000's, depending on the product)
- Marketing Costs (trade shows, catalogs, web sites, etc.)
- Product Development Costs (design, development, obtaining digital
artwork ($50 - $500), etc.)
- Sample Production & Approval Costs (the cost of producing samples
and obtaining approvals, which occurs online, so you must have an
Internet connection). If you obtain approvals via fax and mail, it
will take much longer.

The time frame for obtaining a license is at least 4-6 weeks,
depending on university approvals, and the speed at which you can
complete the proper steps to obtain the license.

If you are still interested in obtaining a license through CLC, please
click on the Downloads section and complete the Contact Form required
to receive the Standard & Local-Restricted Licensing Application
Materials via email from CLC.

Hope this is helpful. 

Cheers.

Diatribe

And to clarify. When I researched this, the impression that I got was
that they will work directly with manufacturers. I'd assume that
people go with distributors to offset the cost of licensing and
insurance. For the right product, I am sure that they will work
directly with a manufacturer to allow you the freedom to work with the
distributors to distribute the product.

Cheers again.

Diatribe