Timing Is Everything for Apparel Sponsorship
April 20, 2009
While one can lay the best of plans, a little fortuitous timing and a bit of luck can often be the key in getting your brand maximum exposure. Such was the case this past week end with one apparel sponsor, the fledgling The Fight Mafia brand. The MMA lifestyle apparel brand founded by Canadian Noel Brooks recently made the decision to dip their toes in the UFC apparel sponsorship field. A natural fit for the t-shirt company was fellow Canuck Sam Stout.
Stout’s bout was originally pegged for the undercard portion of the event. With early fights going long and Stout being one of the Canadian fighters with an exciting style and a bit of tenure with the UFC, he was bumped up to the televised portion of the card. The switch means a world of difference for his sponsor The Fight Mafia. Being in an undercard bout means that the fight may or may not make the televised card, and if it does may have the walk-in and post fight interview cut out. These are prime slots for the t-shirt sponsor to get his product in front of eyeballs. With the bump to the main card, The Fight Mafia was able to get prime coverage in the slot between the Liddell Rua fight and the main event of of Silva Leites. The Fight Mafia shirt was on display at length during the walk-in and during Stout’s interview with Joe Rogan. Some sponsor contracts have escalator clauses that elevate pay if the fight makes the PPV, and in the case of Stout this would be money well spent. The difference maker for this being a good brand exposure slot and a great brand exposure slot ultimately hung on something beyond the fighter and sponsors control, the undercard going long.
