ABG Repositions Tapout With WWE Deal

The Tapout brand is going hard-core in the fitness space. Authentic Brands Group has entered into a joint venture agreement with the WWE network for its Tapout brand, giving the brand some entertainment muscle to boot. The venture is part of ABG’s repositioning of the brand, which it acquired in September 2010. Under the terms of the venture, Tapout is now the official fitness and training partner of WWE, and will be integrated across the entertainment firm’s global platforms. Those platforms include TV programming, WWE Network, pay-per-view broadcasts, live events, digital and social media and its online shopping site. Originally a mixed-martial arts brand established in 1997, Jamie Salter, chairman and chief executive officer of ABG, explained that the new positioning transforms Tapout into a “family fitness lifestyle brand,” reflecting the change in consumer trends as well as the shift toward a healthier lifestyle and the growing ath-leisure trend. As part of the partnership, ABG will work with its bench of licensees to develop the brand in existing and future product categories, while WWE will aim to get the brand in front of its fan base. On the agenda will be new content featuring WWE “Superstars and Divas” in Tapout apparel, focusing on hard-body

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