(Breathtaking.)
Apparently, action figures were just the beginning. According to a news release on UFC.com:
[F]ans of the Ultimate Fighting Championship will soon be able to collect Jakks Pacific UFC figures, use UFC-branded Bic lighters and Silver Buffalo watches, shop with a UFC credit card, and pick up UFC apparel at JC Penney stores…
Already, UFC-branded Bic lighters are hitting retail shelves, and after April’s ‘soft’ launch of UFC t-shirts at 450 JC Penney stores, the retailer will create “UFC Hot Zones†in August that will sell shirts and headwear in the Young Men’s department. Silver Buffalo, which has developed licensed products for such brands as WWE, Elvis Presley, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, and Kiss, will come on board this summer with UFC-branded watches, barware, bar accessories, lighting, wall décor, and billiards and darts accessories, and on June 15th, US Bank launches its UFC VISA card with no annual fee and the option to receive points for UFC merchandise…
There are also going to be more than a few happy faces when official UFC action figures hit major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, and Toys R Us in Fall of 2009. Expected in this launch will be Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Brock Lesnar, Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira, Michael “The Count” Bisping and UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva. Octagon playsets and role-play items based on the UFC brand and its classic and current roster of star fighters are also planned.
On the one hand, I’m really looking forward to the day when the checkout girl at the grocery store asks me “debit or credit,” and I slam down my customized UFC Visa card with the image of Joe Stevenson’s bloody face and say “What the fuck do you think?” But I’m also growing increasingly wary of the “WWE-ization” of MMA’s most prominent organization.
(more…)
Written by admin on June 11th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on action figures and apparel and merchandise and News and UFC and MMA.
(No homo. Photo courtesy of MLive.com.)
From a press release distributed late yesterday:
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (September 13, 2008) - Golden Boy Promotions and Affliction Clothing today announced a strategic, multi-level partnership between the two companies that will bring the popular Affliction-brand to the world of boxing and entertainment.
“We have been talking to Affliction over the past several months to figure out a partnership that will take advantage of the expertise of both of our companies,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. “We have found the solution and are extremely excited about starting this partnership immediately.”
“Golden Boy Promotions is the top boxing promoter in the world and we look forward to working with them on future projects,” said Tom Atencio, Vice President, Affliction. “With our companies working together, it gives Affliction another vehicle to deliver our products to our core customers, as well as utilizing Golden Boy’s promotional expertise to further our efforts in Mixed Martial Arts.”
The partnership includes:
* For major Golden Boy Promotions fights, Affliction will create a signature Affliction shirt sold on-site and at retail outlets nationwide.
* Affliction will become the official apparel licensee for the Golden Boy Enterprises-owned Ring Magazine, and will adorn t-shirts and other apparel with the iconic Ring logo and classic Ring Magazine covers.
* Golden Boy Promotions and Affliction Entertainment will promote events that will feature both first class boxing matches as well as top notch MMA bouts on the same cards with the inaugural event planned for 2009.
And that’s pretty much it. It’s telling that the apparel concerns come first in their to-do list, followed by the afterthought-looking bit about the joint boxing/MMA cards. Maybe Golden Boy’s priorities lie with getting a toe-hold in the t-shirt business, rather than these hybrid combat sports events. There’s also no indication that Golden Boy will have anything to do with “Day of Reckoning,” Affliction’s second MMA event which is now slated for January 17th. If Affliction COO Michael D. Cohen wasn’t just blowing smoke, there should be another major announcement in the next week or so — and we hope there is, because this Golden Boy thing doesn’t sound like it’ll improve the fortunes of their MMA operation any time soon.
(Props: MMA Payout)
Written by admin on November 29th, 1999 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Golden Boy and apparel and Affliction and Boxing and News and MMA.