The UAAP and Varsity Lifestyle Co renewed their partnership for three more years in a ceremonial contract signing on Saturday at the home of Season 88’s host, the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
VLC and the UAAP started their collaboration in 2023 and with this, the official licensed merchandise brand is now assured to be in the venues for three more years to give students, alumni, and sports fans a more memorable experience.
UAAP Season 88 President Fr. Rodel Cansancio, OP and VLC Business Development Head Kirk Damasco signed the contract with Board of Managing Directors representatives of La Salle, Emmanuel Calanog, and University of Santo Tomas, Gilda Ma. Paz Kamus served as witnesses.
“In so many ways, it’s a dream come true in a sense before naalala namin pumipila lang kami ng 3 a.m. for tickets eh tapos ‘yung makukuha namin yung Gen Ad or Upper. Eventually, to do merchandise for all schools and to watch all the games and cheer for all the teams. Very fulfilling, very meaningful,” said Damasco.
VLC is present in most games, selling different type of items with designs especially curated for each of the eight member-schools to heighten the UAAP experience for fans.
Among the merchandise they are offering are school shirts, football kits, varsity jackets, hoodies, sweat shirts, caps, ballers, stickers, lanyards, keychains, and scarves.
“We started talaga with a new brand in 2023 and it was a conscious effort when we started to really grow the brand. The goal is to really capture the lifestyle of varsity student-athletes and even students and fans of the teams and schools kasi may non-UAAP school fans din naman tayo,” added Damasco.
“Among the efforts are really to be relevant to day-to-day lives and trends of the students, to be present in almost all games, and to give voice and representation to all schools, and be in platforms where the fans are online and offline.”
Aside from being in the venues, VLC merchandise can also be acquired via online at www.varsitylifestyleco.com where they offer discounts and bundles at times.
For Kamus, who is also the Season 88 treasurer, this partnership renewal is a sign of more things to come as students, alumni, and fans alike continue to enjoy the offerings of VLC.
“Malaking factor itong extension ng partnership kasi ang reach niyan especially ay talagang bumababa na for the students, hindi lang for the student-athletes pero kumbaga, they’ll feel na ‘suot ito ng idol ko’ so kumbaga they are really part of it. Hindi man nila physically makasama, through the shirts, through the designs of VLC ay parang they are with their idols,” said Kamus.
