INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE CO-FOUNDER/CEO GAREB SHAMUS NAMED ONE OF BRANDWEEK MAGAZINE’S TEN “MARKETERS OF THE NEXT GENERATION”
NEW YORK, April 17, 2007- The International Fight League’s (OTC.BB: IFLI), Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Gareb Shamus was selected as one of Brandweek Magazine’s 10 “Marketers of the Next Generation,” as revealed in the magazine’s current issue.
Shamus, who co-founded the league with partner Kurt Otto, is the only one on the select list currently involved in a sports entity. The IFL, the world’s first professional mixed martial arts league, will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its first event on April 29. Since that event at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the league, its 12 teams led by 12 world champion coaches and its over 60 world class athletes, has forged a number of key partnerships to establish itself as a fast-growing sports brand. Included on the list is a home video deal with Warner Home Video, television deals with MyNetworkTV and FSN, sponsorship deals with Sandals Resorts, Microsoft Xbox and other companies, and partnerships with the William Morris Agency, the Alfred Haber Company, Getty Images and most recently with USA Wrestling, the National Governing Body of amateur wrestling in the United States.
The IFL is in the midst of its first full season, holding its most recent event this past Friday before a near-capacity crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Its next event will be held at the Sears Centre in Chicago on May 19.
“IFL Battleground,” the weekly broadcast television series profiling the league, its athletes and coaches, is currently enjoying successful ratings on MyNetworkTV on Monday nights from 8-10 p.m. (eastern and pacific) and 7-9 p.m., central time, while the IFL’s weekly cable series has enjoyed success Friday nights at 11 p.m. on FSN.
Others featured among the 10 “Marketers of the Next Generation” are Senior Vice President of Marketing for Hilton Hotels Amy Spatz; Ryan Clarke, director of marketing for Kraft Foods’ South Beach Brand; and Eric Kintz, vice president of global marketing strategy & excellence, Hewlett Packard.
Shamus’ profile can be seen online at http://www.brandweek.com/bw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003571720