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09/07/08 - MMA News: Footlocker falls for Tapout
Footlocker, the giant US athletic wear retailer, will begin stocking Tapout apparel in the autumn, it has been revealed.
In a recent financial results conference call, company chief executive and president Matthew Serra – no relation to the former UFC welterweight champion – said that initial test sales of Tapout merchandise had been positive.
As a result, the company has committed to stocking the brand in a large number of its stores and has also secured exclusive mall distribution rights.
“Tapout is a new program that we first introduced in Champs (a subsidiary of Footlocker) late last year and continues to be very encouraging and will be rolled out to Foot Locker this fall,” said Serra.
Explaining the decision to begin stocking the famous mixed martial arts label, he said that Tapout will provide “some excitement and some new and innovative merchandise”.
He added that consumer research “indicates that our core customer base continues to look to our stores first” for new trends and that “ultimate fighting is one of - if not the - fastest growing sports in the country”.
The news is yet another sign of mixed martial arts creeping into popular culture, following as it does two MMA-centric Hollywood films (Never Back Down, Redbelt) and the positioning of major brands such as Bud Light as UFC sponsors.
John O’Regan
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