With its third appearance in a national title game in a year’s time, the University of Florida is selling a lot of Gators gear.

The school has climbed into the top 5 in merchandise sales among colleges and has increased sales 250 percent from a year ago, according to SportsOneSource, which tracks retail sales of sporting goods. Florida ranks third behind North Carolina and Texas and ahead of Ohio State, which despite playing UF in the BCS football national championship in January and in the men’s basketball championship game tonight, has seen sales remain flat compared to a year ago, according to Neil Schwartz, SportsOneSource director of marketing and business development.

Schwartz said the numbers are remarkable considering Florida doesn’t have the national fan base of schools like Ohio State or Texas.

“That’s a really good testament to the University of Florida fans. They are very loyal and they’re putting their money where their mouth is,” Schwartz said. “So kudos to them.”

Expect sales to continue to be strong, if Florida wins another the basketball title tonight. Licensees, who capitalized on the school’s basketball and football championships within less than a year, are already planning for the possibility of merchandise with three titles, said Heath Price, director of university services for Collegiate Licensing Company, which helps more than 200 colleges and conferences manage their licenses.

Price said not only would three titles be unprecedented, but so would a basketball and a football title within the same school year. And back-to-back basketball titles are rare these days.

Starting today, UF will get a 10 percent royalty – up from 8.5 percent -- on the wholesale cost -- typically half the retail price -- of everything from shirts and hats to shoes, furniture and key chains that bear the university's name or logo. That royalty jumps to 15 percent for championship gear with UF keeping 12 percent and 3 percent going to the BCS for football merchandise or to the NCAA for basketball merchandise. The royalty rate shot up to 18 percent for dual championship products, with the school receiving 12 percent, and the BCS and the NCAA receiving 3 percent each. Three title gear would also carry an 18 percent royalty, Price said.