Reebok has made some pretty slick merchandise that people can buy in support of UFC bantamweight prospect Sean O’Malley. However they apparently have not paid him anywhere close to the amount that they should have for the sale of these products.
Despite having to deal with some setbacks, the hype behind O’Malley seems to double with every fight he takes. Fans are drawn to his exciting style that produces finishes, as well as his personality outside the cage, which largely centers around marijuana and video games. Following his most recent big win, he is primed for a big test in his next outing.
Sean O’Malley Gets Stiffed By Reebok
With this type of hype and backing behind him, it only makes sense that people want to buy Sean O’Malley merchandise. Of course, due to the nature of the UFC’s deal with Reebok, that merch comes directly from them. It was the general understanding that the fighters would be earning 15% of whatever sales were generated from their name. However, as “Suga'” explained on an episode of Food Truck Diaries, he has gotten far less of the sales from the company.
“I got royalties from Reebok,” O’Malley explained (h/t MMAMania). “If I read it right, which I think I did, and I even sent it to my dad like, ‘Did I read this right?’ He said yes, so unless we both can’t read. They made over a million dollars on all my merch, and I got like $3,000.
“It’s ridiculous. I thought I got 15%, but they’re like ‘Well, you get 15% of this, but of this, and then these guys get it, and then you get 50% of that.’ I’m like holy sh*t. Then, they make all these sweet shirts on Reebok … and I’m like don’t buy that!”
Sean O’Malley goes on to explain that he plans on releasing his own merch at some point in the near future. Without knowing the specifics of what he was looking at, it is hard to determine what to make of this. However if he is as underpaid as he is suggesting, there can certainly be no blaming him for wanting to make his own merch for people to buy.