CURTIS ‘50 CENT’ JACKSON AND BELLATOR MMA ANNOUNCE COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP FEATURING A NEW APPAREL LINE AND CHAMPAGNE SPONSORSHIP
‘50 Cent’ and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne to Give the Winner of the Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix One Million Dollars
LOS ANGELES – Bellator MMA, a global combat sports leader owned by Viacom, has joined forces with entertainment superstar and business mogul Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson on an extensive partnership and licensing deal featuring a new apparel line based upon Jackson’s popular “Get The Strap” trademark and integrating Jackson’s elite champagne brand, Le Chemin du Roi in future Bellator events.
A passionate and knowledgeable MMA fan, Jackson has already agreed to re-invest a portion of his deal by offering one million dollars in cash to the winner of the upcoming Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix that will air exclusively on DAZN.
“We are thrilled to partner with such a legendary icon who has been a friend to the Bellator family for quite some time. The “Get The Strap” apparel line is just the beginning of many joint ventures we will explore together,” said Scott Coker, President of Bellator MMA.
“I am excited to partner with the Bellator Viacom franchise. Mixed martial arts yields some of the most action-packed events in the world. I’m excited for people to see how I plan to shake up MMA with the integration of my ‘Get The Strap’ trademark as well as my luxury champagne Le Chemin du Roi.” said Jackson.
Leveraging his viral “Get The Strap” moniker, Bellator and Jackson will launch a global apparel line that will be fashionable and edgy, with distinctive attitude.
Also, Jackson’s popular new champagne, Le Chemin du Roi, will become fully integrated into Bellator events from in-arena signage to mat placements and more.
“Bellator has a roster filled with some of the most charismatic athletes in the world,” adds Jackson. “As my relationship with Bellator deepens, you will see me moving into fighter management opportunities that will allow me to integrate top stars into both scripted and unscripted projects across the Viacom networks, as well as the other outlets I have access to.”
About Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, is an award-winning rapper, entrepreneur, actor and producer from Queens, New York. Recognized as one of the most talented and prolific music artists of his time, the Grammy Award winner rose to fame with his record-shattering debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and has since sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and been awarded numerous prestigious accolades. Jackson has leveraged his star power to cross over with unparalleled success as an entrepreneur, actor and producer. From Get Rich or Die Tryin’ being one of the fastest selling albums in history to creating one of the most influential deals in hip-hop with the sale of Vitaminwater, Jackson continues to break records. He currently has the critically-acclaimed #1 show on Starz, “Power,” in which he not only co-stars but also serves as executive producer and director leading into season six.
Jackson has carved out a thriving television and film career. In 2005, he founded G-Unit Film & Television, Inc. which has produced a wide variety of content across numerous platforms and sold a myriad of shows to various networks. Among these is “Power,” which premiered in June 2014. Starz and Lionsgate extended Jackson & G-Unit Film & Television, Inc’s overall deal to develop new projects for the network, including “Tomorrow, Today,” based on a screenplay penned by Jackson and the “BMF” project. Additional credits include the variety show “50 Central” on BET and two dramas for Sony Crackle “The Oath,” the networks most-watched new original series and “RPM,” which is currently in development. Jackson’s successful film career has included roles in several blockbusters: most recently “Den of Thieves” co-starring opposite Gerard Butler, which Jackson has signed on to produce the sequel along with Butler, Antoine Fuqua’s boxing drama “Southpaw,” alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and “Spy” with Melissa McCarthy. Jackson will also reprise his role in “Escape Plan 2.”
The exceptional businessman serves as CEO of G-Unit Records, which he founded in 2003 and has since signed a host of multi-platinum artists. Jackson continues to dominate the charts with hits like the recently released “Still Think I’m Nothing,” and he is continuously recording new music.
Jackson continues to extend his brand, which encompasses a broad spectrum of businesses including: footwear and apparel, fragrance, video games, publishing, headphones, Le Chemin du Roi champagne, vodka, health drinks, Casper mattresses and supplements.
Jackson was represented on this deal by Stephen J. Savva and Eric Feig.
About Bellator:
Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Paramount Network, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Paramount Network:
Paramount Network is a premium entertainment destination that pushes the limits of story-telling with bold original scripted and non-scripted series. Inspired by over a century of cinema, Paramount Network is where today’s brightest stars bring the experience of the big screen to every screen with stories that are immersive, inclusive, and deeply personal.
About DAZN:
DAZN is a global live and on-demand sports streaming service created by fans, for fans, that is leading the charge to provide access to sports anytime, anywhere. DAZN guarantees no long-term contract, no bundles, just one affordable price for access to all of the service’s sports on connected devices including Smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and games consoles. DAZN is currently available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Canada, and Italy, and just launched for $9.99 a month in the U.S. – where it is set to become a must-have for fight fans, with 80+ fight nights already lined up from Matchroom Boxing, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas.