The increase in retail locations is due to a couple primary factors (this is my opinion based on what I have seen). Also important to note it's an increase in locations, not necessarily in sales (though I believe overall sales are up as well, just not by as much):

1 - Licensed merchandise variety - the number of items people are selling bearing BYU marks are growing. It's not just apparel and headwear, but shoes, socks, jewelry, coolers, etc. Local folks have always licensed more promotional items, but larger companies are now getting in on licensing non-apparel items as well. As the variety grows, the number of potential retail locations rises. While headwear and apparel would typically mostly be sold at sporting goods and bookstore/fan shops, other items are sold at different retail locations (e.g. jewelry stores) and so the number naturally grows. Also, even within apparel and headwear, the selection is growing. Companies are specializing in high end, low end, basically everywhere that Nike wouldn't be. Those companies sell department stores, mass, and major retail variants that additionally add to the selection.

2 - Exclusives - as Nike and others tighten the reins on categories and marks only they can use, other licensees are forced to be more creative and think outside the box. This leads into number one, but also has created an atmosphere where competition is tough at traditional outlets and therefore licensees focus on non-traditional options.

3 - Direct to Consumer world - As licensees made the above changes, CLC began better tracking retailers being sold to by licensees. Before a couple years ago, sales were reported generically, whereas now every sale has to reported by specific channel. As such, every licensee started, just a couple years ago, reporting their direct to consumer business as a "new retailer". So part of that stat is driven by reporting changes.

Overall I believe BYU is 49 in sales, if I remember correctly.