GOOD4U Managing Director talks about UFC ban

GOOD4U Managing Director Rick DeBanks commented on MMA Payout’s take on the company’s ban from the UFC and WEC. DeBanks added the following to the comments section of the post:

The UFC has initiated this most likely in response to a complaint from someone with Xenergy. GOOD4U is being seen as an “MMA” drink and capturing this market in Canada where Xenergy is fairly well represented. GOOD4U have done several events already with the UFC, and fight night logo placement is really only the icing on the cake in terms of overall marketing strategy.

There is no ill will towards the UFC, as they have been accessible throughout and overall are much easier to deal with than other Major Sporting Leagues. It is a business decision pure and simple and that’s life.

The issues are more centred on the fact that:

1) The ban came at such a late stage
2) The drinks were viewed as Energy Drinks when they clearly are not

Remember also that fighters sign contracts based on a current  set of circumstances and if you alter those circumstances,  you indirectly alter the value of the contract.

At the end of the day it’s a free market the UFC is free to ban whoever they don’t want at their show and GOOD4U is free to go elsewhere or find creative ways to deal with restrictions.

In an exchange of emails with DeBanks he stated that GOOD4U would not pursue sponsorship opportunities with Strikeforce due to its relationship with Rockstar. However, Bellator, MFC, Dream or Sengoku were all possibilities as well as UCMMA in England and other smaller organizations.

DeBanks also wrote:

The UFC’s decision doesn’t impact our overall marketing strategy which was to integrate GOOD4U Drinks into the fighters training regime and lifestyle, this has been successful for us and we plan to continue and may even go more grass roots in our branding. By that I mean sponsoring or partnering with MMA type gyms, Dojos etc…