UFC SVP: Rousey will be face of UFC’s 1st apparel deal
The UFC is “actively engaged in conversations” with a “premium apparel line” for an exclusive deal to outfit the league’s 400-plus fighters, said Mossholder.
This year it has been rumored that the UFC has been negotiating an apparel deal with a premium brand (Under Armour, Nike, Reebok, etc). Now in a new interview with Adweek, the UFC’s SVP of of Global Marketing partnerships revealed that the UFC is indeed negotiating a deal and that UFC women’s champion Ronda Rousey will play a huge role in that deal:
The UFC is actively engaged in conversations with a premium apparel line for an exclusive deal to outfit the league’s 400-plus fighters, said Mossholder, who would not reveal the outfitter. Since Rousey’s the No. 1 most requested athlete by UFC sponsors like MetroPCS, it’s highly likely she’d be highlighted. Reps from Nike, Under Armour and Adidas either declined to comment or could not be reached
A deal could be lucrative for both the UFC and the athletes who would get their cut. Nike’s paying the NFL an estimated $1.1 billion over five years to put the Swoosh on uniforms. Historically, the UFC has allowed athletes to cut their own deals for the brands they wear inside the Octagon.
Rousey already ranks No. 3 in ticket sales for UFC. When the official energy drink of UFC put her image on cans, sales jumped 12 percent, said Xyience president John Lennon. She now wears the brand’s logo inside the Octagon.