WWE and Authentic Brands Group on Friday officially relaunched the Tapout apparel brand with a rollout of its men’s line at J.C. Penney stores in the U.S. and on Tapout.com. The release coincides with the buildup to WrestleMania 32 this weekend, which will serve as a platform to promote Tapout. ABG purchased Tapout in ’10 and last year entered into a 50/50 joint venture with WWE. They have since sought to reposition the once MMA-focused label as a broader fitness brand, shifting the aesthetic from large, brash graphics to a more refined look. While Tapout is the official fitness and training partner of WWE, the apparel itself will not bear the wrestling promotion’s marks. WWE Exec VP/Consumer Products Casey Collins noted that the brand’s relationship with J.C. Penney is not exclusive, and it will likely expand into other retailers, including sports specialty stores, later this year. He said WWE and ABG chose J.C. Penney for the initial release because of their willingness to “support it with their marketing efforts,” as well as the ability to give fans a specific destination to purchase the gear, which includes a range of training and compression tees, tank tops, pants and shorts. Items sold at J.C. Penney range in price from $13-33, though some Tapout items online carry slightly higher price tags.
WELCOME TO THE GUN SHOW: With its athletes arriving in Dallas this week for WrestleMania, WWE has outfitted all of them with Tapout apparel, and many have taken to social media to share pictures of themselves working out or posing in the new gear. The brand has also shot promotional material with several wrestlers this week, and a broadcast ad will be featured on the WWE Network telecast of WrestleMania, as well as on USA Network for Monday night’s "Raw" telecast. At J.C. Penney stores, imagery of former WWE champion John Cena will be displayed at point of purchase. Collins said, “Tapout really is going to celebrate the fitness and training of our Superstars, really showcasing the fitness regiments they adhere to in order to achieve maximum health and physical prowess.”
EXPANSION PLANS: Tapout will roll out a women’s line, which will include sports bras, tank tops, tees, shorts and capris, in the late summer or early fall, also at J.C. Penney. A boy’s line is also in the works, and while it is not official yet, Collins said that would also likely launch at J.C. Penney. Collins said that the brand also plans to expand into Europe, Australia and other international markets later this year or early next year. Under the Tapout brand, WWE and ABG plan to introduce additional fitness products like supplements, isotonic drinks, gym equipment and even a gym franchise. He said that WWE and ABG either have partners in place or deals in negotiation for each of those categories, which will likely hit the market in late ’16 or early ’17. The brand has already opened one Tapout Fitness gym location in Georgia, and the franchise’s website identifies ten other locations as “coming soon.”
