Boxing legend Muhammad Ali (Also known as “The Greatest”) is 73 years old and has been retired from the sport of boxing since the early 1980’s. Ali had much success in the ring. He competed in a total of 61 fights and won 58 of those. Ali competed in the Golden era that had some of the best heavyweight boxers in the history of the sport. During his career Ali wasn’t just seen as a boxer, but also as a community and social activist.
Ali’s skills in the ring and his larger than life personality made him a sports icon. Throughout the years he has continued to be successful. He surrounded himself with business savvy individuals who helped him create Muhammad Ali Enterprises, which has been able to capitalize on revenue from his brand and likeness for years. Muhammad Ali Enterprises is involved in a global licensing program, merchandising, television, film, video and internet projects. They are known for trademarking some of Ali’s most popular taglines like ‘Float Like A Butterfly Sting Like A Bee.”
His brand is still strong and prominent. It was recently announced that Muhammad Ali Enterprise has partnered with Under Armour on a multi-year sponsorship deal. Under this new sponsorship deal Under Armour will launch a lifestyle apparel line utilizing Ali’s image and likeness. The plan is to release a full apparel line that includes footwear and accessories in the fall of 2015. Also, there will be use of Ali in upcoming marketing and sales campaigns. Since Ali suffers from Parkinson’s disease the extent of his direct involvement in the marketing campaigns is unknown, but I am sure it will be limited. The specific financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed yet.
