I am happy to answer questions, as best I can, about RU merchandising and licensing. Please don't confuse my answers with my love and passion for RU, just reality.
I went to USC, UCLA and Maryland bookstores back in the fall. I've been to both on campus bookstores and off campus stores at PS-MSU-UM-NEB-IU-OSU from the B1G in addition to Syracuse-Clemson-South Carolina and the local UDel and Princeton. The choices, on campus and online, for RU gear aren't bad at all. I'm not sure what folks are expecting.
Please point out a "smaller school" that has a wider selection of merch. You can't compare to OSU or Tenn. Those type schools have been winning in a huge way for generations. We beat Louisville 18 years ago. They have 90,000+ stadiums that are sold out. they have a large, single campus that concentrates the students and the stadiums together. They are named after the state they represent. NJ folks don't follow Rutgers in the same bandwagon manner other states do. IMO, the biggest problem is simply demand. It's not there. We ordered the minimum and still have more than half left of the Rate Bowl tee.
The Izzo 1/4 zip is a nice Nike product. Are we liking the product, or the logo, or both. Scarlet Fever has a really nice Adidas 1/4 zip. I grabbed one myself. Having a cartoon Sparty/Knight dribbling just eliminated 90% of fans. It's only appealing to basketball fans now. It's cute, but wouldn't sell at RU. We've had very nice top shelf Nike and Adidas stuff and it mostly doesn't sell well. People aren't buying $70-$90 hoodies and lots of muttered comments about $75 Adidas polos. That leaves the next step down which is the mid-tier Champion or Colosseum. The step below that is the Pennant or Badger brands. Below that is the Jerzee and Gildan wholesale brands. Honestly, the Gildan soft style tee is more comfortable then most tees out there. The advent and growth of the internet allows the Peter Millar, Lulu or Johnnie O items available to anyone, at any time. The lack of selection is simply a result of supply/demand. On campus, we focus more on the students and they're not buying Peter Millar. RU is not a wealthy student body.
I've had more than my share of disagreements with RU Licensing, but lack of selection or availability is not on them. Rutgers itself doesn't control what is offered by any company, or where it's sold. They can be limiting with art sometimes. Adidas has sucked with product offerings and support, but the demand hasn't been there. Personally, I don't like that retro patch logo, but tough to argue subjective. At $38 a tee and $75 hoodies, it's available for those who like it. What you all want to see???
