UF tag No. 1 in sales as new plate hits the streets

January 30, 2007

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — First it was basketball, then football, and now the University of Florida has come in first in yet another category: sales of specialty license plates.

Figures from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles show the state sold or renewed 90,436 UF automobile tags in 2006, edging out the No. 2-ranked “Protect the Panther” tag that sold 87,806. The panther plate was the best seller in 2005.

The new ranking comes just as UF’s newly redesigned tag has begun showing up on vehicles around the state. The new design, which became available in early January, celebrates the entire university and its accomplishments using the theme, “The Gator Nation.”

“Support for UF just seems to keep growing,” said Joe Hice, UF’s associate vice president for marketing and public relations. “The thing is, it’s not just because of our amazing accomplishments on the football field and the basketball court; it’s because of all the great things that happen at UF.”

The previous tag bore the words “National Champions” and was introduced in 1997, shortly after the Gators won their first national football title. UF officials decided on a redesign more than six months ago – after the men’s basketball team won its first national title in April but before the football team won its second national championship Jan. 8.

The new tag features UF’s Gator head logo and the words “The Gator Nation” on a white background with “Gator” blue borders at the top and bottom.

Hice said he understands the views of some fans who may question removing the national championship reference from the tag, especially as UF is now the first school to hold both the football and basketball national titles simultaneously. But he said the new design represents everything UF is proud of – including athletics.

“We’re all very proud of our success in athletics, but there are so many other amazing things happening on campus that we wanted to salute the entire Gator Nation,” Hice said.

For instance, he said, the average freshman GPA is nearly 4.0 and the average freshman SAT score is in the top 1 percent in the nation. UF faculty members are leaders in their fields and attracted more than $518 million in sponsored research last year, Hice said. He also pointed to UF’s leadership in sustainability and energy independence.

“It just doesn’t get much better than the University of Florida,” he said. “That’s what the new tag design celebrates — the achievements of the entire Gator Nation,” Hice said. The $25 annual fee for each UF tag goes toward scholarships. Last year, that money totaled $2.26 million, and since the first UF tag was introduced, the school has received $29.4 million, according to state figures. Complete sales figures are available online at http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/specialtytags/SLP.html. Click on “Hottest Selling Specialty License Plates in 2006.”