UFC has partnered with global footwear and sports apparel brand Reebok to create a unique, iconic, and consistent look for its athletes. The deal allows fighters to use their names on shirts for money, with the former receiving $4,000. The apparel deal also increases the earnings of champions from $40,000 per title defense to $42,000. Brands can collaborate with fighters on the design of the fight kit and merchandise, with bonuses for fighters without an exclusive contract.
For press conferences, fighters are allowed to wear Reebok/UFC apparel or opt for business or business casual attire without visible logos or trademarks. For weigh-ins, the Reebok/UFC apparel line will include exclusive “Fight Week” gear, “Fight Night kit”, and UFC fan gear. The $70 million deal has been a point of contention with UFC fighters due to the contract stating they cannot wear other companies’ logos at UFC events, preventing them from receiving royalties from their other sponsors.
The deal with Reebok ended after UFC 260 on March 27, 2021, as the premier MMA promotion switched to Venum for official uniforms and apparel. UFC should give “rights to compete contract” to competing brands like Reebok/Adidas and Nike. Fighters will receive 20-30% of the gross income from sales of their personally branded Reebok apparel.
Reebok is expected to part ways with the apparel company after six years of wearing it before fights. As of November, MVPindex estimated that UFC fighters had provided $2.34 million worth of social media engagement for the apparel company. The UFC’s 500+ fighters will be provided with Reebok clothing and will not be allowed to sport other marks during fight weeks and weigh-ins.
📹 UFC Store: All New UFC Fight Kits by Reebok
See what the UFC looks like by going to ufcstore.com to get your UFC Fight Kit by Reebok.
Who is Reebok biggest competitor?
Reebok faces competition from Lululemon, Adidas, and Nike, with Lululemon Athletica focusing on athletic apparel design and retail. Soletrader offers footwear and accessories, including shoes, trainers, boots, and sandals for men, women, and children. It caters to customers seeking mainstream and niche footwear brands, emphasizing sustainable and vegan options. Salomon specializes in sportswear for men, women, and children, offering ski boots, clothing, snowboarding, trail running, and hiking clothes and shoes.
Arc’teryx, a global design company, specializes in technical high-performance outerwear and equipment for mountain sports, including mountaineering, ice and rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding, and trail running. Founded in 1989, it primarily sells to the outdoor sports and recreation industry. All three companies offer a wide range of products and services to cater to their customers’ needs.
Do UFC fighters make money from sponsors?
UFC CEO White and other executives have shown a greedy approach, removing sponsorships from fighters to make more lucrative deals for the organization. This favoritism towards superstars like Sean O’Malley, Israel Adesanya, and Conor McGregor has hindered other fighters’ popularity and careers. Demetrius Johnson, a skilled MMA fighter, was repeatedly disrespected by White and the UFC, leading to his eventual disqualification from casual sports fans.
White and the UFC board are too focused on “running a business”, viewing fighters as pawns in the sport’s ultimate goal of making the most money. If a fighter is not valuable to the company’s financial gain, they are likely to be forgotten, fighting for their lives both inside and outside the cage. This disregard for the well-being of MMA athletes is a significant issue in the sport.
Do UFC fighters have to wear Reebok?
The UFC has reintroduced a controversial outfitting policy seven years ago, which prohibited fighters from wearing their own gear with their sponsors during fight week and competition. This policy resulted in up to six-figure losses per bout for some popular fighters. The UFC encourages corporate sponsors like Monster Energy to direct sponsorship deals with athletes, and fighters are free to enter into sponsorships for non-fight-week related items. The UFC is within its rights to unilaterally change these policies, as fighters are not unionized and have no collective bargaining agreement, giving them no say in revenue sharing with sponsors.
Is UFC still sponsored by Reebok?
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has renewed its exclusive global apparel partnership with Venum, extending the contract until 2029. The initial agreement was reached in 2020, when Venum assumed the role of UFC’s apparel partner, replacing Reebok. The extension was formalized in August 2022. The agreement was brokered by IMG, a sports marketing agency owned by UFC owner Endeavor, which has previously facilitated partnerships between Venum and UFC.
What clothing brand sponsors the UFC?
The world’s preeminent mixed martial arts organization, VENUM UFC, has announced its intention to continue its role as UFC’s exclusive global outfitting partner through 2029. VENUM is a prominent designer, marketer, and distributor of apparel and accessories for combat sports. The announcement coincides with the imminent determination of the heavyweight champion, with Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler scheduled to compete in a rematch at UFC 309 in New York City.
How much did Reebok pay the UFC?
The Reebok deal, a six-year, $70 million agreement, prohibits fighters from wearing other brands while fighting or participating in official UFC activities. The deal, effective in 2015, offers a tiered payment system based on a fighter’s UFC longevity. Bader, a former wrestler at Arizona State University, competed 20 times in the Octagon, placing him at the second-highest tier of the Reebok pay scale, receiving $15, 000 per bout.
How do sponsorships work for fighters?
As a sponsored fighter, it is crucial to be an exciting fighter, a good spokesperson, and a brand ambassador. You should demonstrate your ability to positively promote a brand by promoting yourself and building a solid following. Be a role model both inside and outside the ring, as it is easy to work with someone who is respectful and humble. Be active on social media and ask your coach or manager first to avoid complications and ensure they agree with your sponsorship deals.
Avoid getting too many sponsors, as having many who don’t pay a decent sum of money will devalue your potential earnings and lose credibility. If your image doesn’t meet the company’s requirements, you may be the perfect person for another company. Remember, choosing the right fighter is not the end of the road for sponsorship, as you may be the perfect person for another company.
Which UFC fighter turned to OnlyFans?
Former UFC fighter Paige VanZant has announced a career pivot, focusing on her OnlyFans account as her primary profession. The 30-year-old fighter, who has competed in various combat sports, now sees fighting as a part-time pursuit. VanZant, who has competed in UFC, bare-knuckle boxing, and conventional boxing, explains that her OnlyFans presence has become her main source of income. She also emphasizes her commitment to supporting her family through this new career direction, comparing her current work to the lengths she would go for her loved ones.
Can UFC fighters wear sponsors?
It is prohibited for sponsors of athletes to engage with UFC fight week official events, including fight night and UFC-produced content. The following events are scheduled in the forthcoming UFC calendar, with locations in Russia: The Ultimate Fighter 32, featuring Aleksandar Yevgeniyev and Alexander Pavlov, and TUF 32: Yevgeniyev vs. Pavlov, which will introduce a new series, will be broadcast.
Is Khabib sponsored by Reebok?
UFC lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov has signed an individual sponsorship deal with Reebok, joining other fighters Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, Paige VanZant, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and Rory MacDonald. Nurmagomedov, who has not fought since April 2014 due to injuries, will face Tony Ferguson at the TUF 22 Finale. He is ranked No. 2 in the NOS Energy Drink MMA lightweight rankings and will face Donald Cerrone in December. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Why is Reebok not popular anymore?
Reebok’s decline can be attributed to a disconnect with its customer base, which failed to adapt to changing consumer needs and preferences. Brands must maintain a strong customer connection through social media, market research, and feedback mechanisms. Continuous innovation is crucial, and brands should invest in research and development, stay updated on technological advancements, and take calculated risks to innovate.
Strategic agility and flexibility are also essential for brands to navigate market shifts and emerging opportunities effectively. Reebok’s struggles post-acquisition by Adidas highlight the importance of these factors in a successful business.
📹 15 Things You Didn’t Know About REEBOK
In this Alux.com video we’ll try to answer the following questions: Who founded Reebok? When was Reebok founded? How did …
UFC (ownership) looks like a bunch of tyrant goons in the pre-labor-law era of the early 20th century. No chance I or any of my MMA fan friends will spend once cent on a Reebok product, MMA related or otherwise, until there’s appropriate equity in the deal for the fighters. Times are changing and the Fighter’s Association Union is coming. I look forward to the day when the athletes in this sport I love can no longer be fucked around with impunity by promoters like the UFC. Also, this commercial? LOL. What drivel. There’s not one UFC fighter in it that I could spot and the opening fucking sentence is, “This is what UFC looks like!?!” Really? LOL.
I am not a fan of a single team sport. Annoyed that my fighters have to try and dress like a team/logo/company-men now. Might as well give them aprons and paper hats to wear outside of the cage too. If they could add a personal flair of their own to the look I would be okay with it. If Nick Diaz wants pot leaves dancing around the Reebok logo, that would be fine by me. Anything as long as the look says something about the fighter or the fighters personality I would be cool with it. (within reasonable limits that is) (Obviously the marijuana stuff probably wouldn’t go over to well)
These shirts look horrible. More importantly they take sponsorship money away from the fighters – fighters who Reebok didn’t care enough about to check the spelling of their names – see Giblert Melendez. With Reebok, they’ll be no more Tom Lawlor-esque ring entrances – fighters deprived of their personality and turned into corporate clowns… I’m a MASSIVE fan of the UFC but I can never support anything which takes money from our athletes. Athletes who risk their well being for our viewing pleasure, every time they step foot inside the hallowed walls of the Octagon.
I knew the dislikes were gonna be off the fucking chart lmao The UFC need a lil logo they can put on the kits or a small UFC in the bottom left and have the center piece where the ridiculously huge U F C is be something unique to each fighter. People wear fighter tees to show the support for that fighter. What good is that if I got to turn around for you to know. P.S. I also want my Brendan Schaub jersey. Congrats Big Brown and all the best!
“This is what UFC looks like”, nope sorry. When I think UFC “kits” I think of the iconic apparel we had over the years. Shogun’s Bad Boy eyes vale tudo shorts, Cro Cop’s Croatian checkers, Penn’s black belt, Anderson Silva’s yellow and black, Franklin’s pink and brown, Chuck’s “iceman” shorts and Tito’s flames. Put those on a mannequin with no other features and any halfway fan of the UFC will be able to identify the fighter. Rather than a bunch of poorly designed overpriced crap that all looks the same and to top it off costs the fighters money. Great job Reebok and Dana.
Things I would rather do than buy a UFC fight kit: -Let Palhares be my chiropractor. -Have Steve Mazagatti referee my thesis paper. -Hire Roy Nelson as my dietician. -Take a blood transfusion from Jenna Jameson. -Let Corey Hill handle my bulk training. -Use Dim Mak in live combat. -Let Lyoto Machida order my drinks. -Have Matt Hamill produce my mixtape. -Take the Hammerfist of Doom. …actually nothing is worth the Hammerfist of Doom.
I wonder if Reebok, Dana White, and Lorenzo realize now how bad this deal is for everyone involved? No one is going to buy Reebok that wasn’t buying Reebok before. The fighters lost an important revenue stream. And the UFC looks like a true pro sports organization that doesn’t give a damn about their #1 resource. Not to mention the kits are ugly as hell and if I saw a guy walking down the street with one on, I would instantly think they were a douche bag. Now is the time for a fighter union. And another MMA organization to step up and take a bite out of the UFC’s market. Scott Coker go ask Viacom for some cash!
The whole idea of a fight kit is stupid. There’s a reason why soccer or American football fans are willing to pay so much money for a kit/jersey: they have a strong emotional connection with a particular team and want to let the world know. Who the fuck has an emotional connection with a fight promotion? And no, the fact that a fighters name is on the back means jackshit: the UFC is front and center. Usually the UFC is on top of their shit but I think this was a huge blunder. People are connected to individual fighters. All of the people who bought those fighting Irish McGregor shirts or the comicbook Korean Zombie shirts did so because they captured a bit of what made those fighters interesting. How many of those buyers are going to shell out double the cash for a completely bland, generic and quite frankly ugly kit?
Itll be a matter of weeks before the twenty dollar chinese knockoff is outselling the real kits. What is up with the soccor (futbol) style jerseys. It should be a tanktop like the nba only tighter like the nfl. The champ jerseys should have an alternate, possibly inverted colors or a champ jersey unique to the country of the champ. Im guessing these will be the fight kits until Nike or someone else snakes the UFC at the end of the contract.
didn’t watch. sucks And why did you idiots change the tale of the tape music? I could maybe understand if you changed it to something better (which would be hard in its own right considering how good optimus bellum domitor was), but you seriously downgraded it to the worst sounding tale of the tape music of all time strikeforce and bellator have better tale of the tape themes garbage ufc, get bought out by someone better and competent please
this is just fucked up for the fighters lol. The kit is so horrible looking too, i think if rebook made it look good and actually did a good job most fans woulnt give a shit that the fighters are getting fucked over but it looks so fucking generic, one of the worst fuck ups the ufc did hopefully it leads to some kind of UNION.
I love reebok classics, they have the perfect shape and are casual, they are the perfect sneaker and non of the nike shoes can compete with them in style in my opinion. I would choose a classic over any nike shoe any time because everybody wears nike, for me the nike hype is over and as you said reebok wants to be more eco friendly which is another huge plus