Many UFC fans are disgruntled with the Reebok deal that took place late last year, and rightfully so. What used to be a sign of originality and progress, UFC fighters will now have to wear Reebok-branded clothing.
Whether they like it or not.
The explanation for how this helps the fighters is based on a 20% cut of all merchandise sold with their name on it. As most fighters have pointed out, this will only help the top dogs who are already taking home a nice chunk of cash.
There were so many great t-shirts that not only helped fighters make some money but gave the fans something truly original of their favorite fighter. Remember that ‘Korean Zombie’ t-shirt that even Dana White could not help but wear? Gone.
Dethrone is a widely known MMA clothing brand that has done business with many of the fighters in the UFC. Who could forget Josh Koscheck and his infamous white hat with red cursive? It was a staple of his fight attire and fans were able to buy that hat to show their loyalty. Now, fighters and companies like Dethrone are forced to find ways of making that revenue back. In Dethrone’s case, they seem optimistic about that task.
According to their official account on The Underground, Dethrone put up a post that has been receiving quite a bit of attention.
[quote]…The most obvious way is that we are no longer in the UFC. We had the option to stay from January 1-June 30, 2015 for $25k licensing fee but we decided against it. Its also forced us to look into other ways to expand the business other than just relying on the exposure from UFC broadcasts. It’s actually been exciting, we’d gotten lazy and this reinvigorated us. It also reminded us that bigger budget doesn’t equal more creativity as the Reebok design team seems to have proven (obviously design tastes are subjective so some will disagree). Being the scrappy small guy is where we feel most comfortable. [/quote]
As a business, there is probably no better way to approach this situation. To wait and complain would not get you very far, and the fact is the UFC has moved on, and fighters will too. In terms of helping the lower-tier fighters, it is going to be very difficult for them to receive a big payday right away. However, how this revenue stream could help fighters is if they continue to get better. Let’s face it, as you grow more popular, the more money you make. It’s a dog eat dog world, and the UFC is only doing their part to stay consistent.
If the UFC finds incredible success over the next six years with this deal, it would not be surprising to see them sign again. Could you blame them? As a business the rich are getting richer. No surprise there. Dethrone and similar companies will have to find newer ways of building their fan base, which should help them become a more versatile company in the long-run. Fans can only hope they look nothing like the prototypes seen in the past.
In the end, the UFC has found another way to monopolize the way we enjoy MMA and we have no choice but to accept it. Luckily, some of the more recent pictures released are much better, but the creativity behind a UFC fighter’s t-shirt and banner will be sorely missed.
