The Sports Business Journal reports that Reebok will unveil new UFC apparel starting at UFC 200 this July. Fighters were made aware of the tweaks earlier this month at the UFC Fighter Summit.
Fighters were able to give feedback on the new apparel to people within Reebok’s new combat sports division at the Summit
The Reebok kits were unveiled last July to mixed reviews and were subject to wide criticism. According to the SBJ article, the new apparel includes a jersey that includes more of the UFC logo across the chest, color to the shorts and grants the fighters more color choices. A total overhaul is scheduled for 2017.
New @UFC kit more “evolution than revolution,” said UFC exec Tracey Bleczinksi. Revolution scheduled for 2017. pic.twitter.com/k67YcX6GAC
— Bill King (@Bill_KingSBJ) April 25, 2016
Payout Perspective:
The article is free to non-subscribers I believe and I think it is an interesting read. It quotes managers John Fosco and Malki Kawa about the deal and what it means for fighters. Fosco likes the deal while Kawa does wish there was a way “to compensate the fighters a little bit better…” The obvious omission from the article I believe was any word whether pay structures would be tweaked as well. It does not appear so. While the Reebok brand is changing its kits to appease athlete feedback, it does not address the financial payouts. The new revamped unis are a positive for Reebok and the UFC as one might consider this may help with retail. But, the bottom line of compensating fighters still seems to remain status quo.
doesnt matter no one buys this over priced crap
this deal has been othing but a disaster
An article on Bloody Elbow last year projected the payouts over the course of the Reebok deal to fall way short of the total potential amount of the deal ($70 million, I think). So, it appears that they could increase the per-fight payouts.
Alternatively, they could consider paying an end-of-year Reebok bonus based on number of fights during the year and fighter pay “tier”. Take the unpaid annual amount and spread it among those who fought during the year.
Another alternative for burning up some of the Reebok sponsor money shortfall is to create something like “Reebok finish bonuses” in addition to the UFC’s performance bonuses. Give every fighter who finishes an opponent a bonus of, say, $5,000. It would reward fighters and it might buy a bit of goodwill for Reebok.