WSOF retains Hollywood marketing expert to grow sponsorship sales

The World Series of Fighting has announced that it has retained Rolfe Auerbach to assist with the growing organization’s sponsorship sales.  Auerbach is the President and CEO of Los Angeles-based Brand in Entertainment.  He will be in charge of all sponsorship sales and product integration strategies on behalf of World Series of Fighting.

Via WSOF press release:

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with World Series of Fighting which, in its relatively short lifespan of just over 2 years, has grown exponentially into a powerful sports entertainment vehicle,” said Auerbach.

“With its presence on the NBCUniversal platform, its tremendous reach on television platforms throughout the planet and some of the best and most exciting athletes in the sport of MMA, the World Series of Fighting product presents an incredible opportunity for consumer brands to engage the 18-34 year old male demographic.

“We are excited to bring a marketing mastermind and innovator like Rolfe Auerbach on board to our incredible team,” said World Series of Fighting President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

“With Rolfe’s wealth of experience and blue-chip level relationships in the consumer products space,” continued Sefo, “he will no doubt be able to catapult our brand into the next stratosphere.”

Under Auerbach’s leadership, Brand in Entertainment, since its inception in 2000, has incorporated products and brands into a host of the world’s most popular studio films, television programs, music videos and video games.

In 2006, Auerbach’s company famously incorporated a key marketing initiative of upscale hotel chain Embassy Suites, into one of the most-watched episodes of Donald Trump’s smash-hit NBC-televised reality series The Apprentice.

Payout Perspective:

The hiring of Auerbach should help with obtaining sponsors for WSOF programming.  In the past, WSOF has sought outside help to grow its promotion.  Notably, it had retained IMG to facilitate selling its media rights.  There could be potential for the WSOF to pick up sponsors that may be shut out of the UFC due to the new UFC-Reebok relationship.  Of course, Auberbach may also help with retaining more mainstream, blue-chip brands.  We shall see.