Muhammad Ali's Name Likely to Rake in the Cash for Years to Come
Muhammad Ali's Name Likely to Rake in the Cash for Years to Come
Louisville, Kentucky - Various sources have reported that Mohammad Ali's net worth was between $50 million and $80 million, and in 2006, Ali sold an 80-percent stake in the right to license his name and brand for $50 million to CKX Inc. CKX subsequently sold off the Ali business in 2013 to Authentic Brands Group. In the five years prior to the CKX sale, Ali biographer Michael Ezra says Ali's intellectual property had earned between $4 million and $7 million a year. Although it is still too early to tell how Ali's death will affect the brands with which he was affiliated, such as Under Armour, Adidas, Toyota, and Google, sports marketing experts project a surge in demand for licensed items and memorabilia. Ali's death "will spark a significant increase in sales of his branded merchandise and memorabilia," says Baker Street Advertising Executive Creative Director Mr. Bob Dorfman. He added, "His name and likeness will continue to be a highly valuable commodity for many years to come."
Source: From the article of the same title. NBC News (06/07/16) White, Martha C.