Affliction Clothing

Infobox Company
name = Affliction Clothing aka Affliction MMA

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foundation = 2005
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location_city = Signal Hill, California
location_country = United States
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industry = Clothing and Mixed Martial Arts Promotion
products = Jeans, t-shirts, hats, hoodies
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revenue = $7M (2006) cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-17544750_ITM|title=Affliction's 'Crazy Ride'; New Line of Moderately Priced T's, Premium Denim Rack Up Over $6M in Sales in First Year.|first=Nola|last=Sarkisian-Miller|date=2006-08-28|accessdate=2008-05-17|publisher=Daily News Record]
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owner = Tom Atencio, Todd Beard, Clifton Chason, and Eric Foss
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homepage = http://www.afflictionclothing.com
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Affliction Clothing is an American clothing manufacturer and mixed martial arts promoter based in Signal Hill, California.cite web | url=http://www.impressionsmag.com/impressions/content_display/industry-news/e3i460780394f79c881c6f6b51339f51f23 | title=Affliction Clothing Teams with Tattoo Artists for Latest Collection|date=2007-11-05|accessdate=2008-05-17|publisher=Impressions Magazine]

History

Affliction was launched in August 2005. It is co-owned by Tom Atencio, Todd Beard, Eric Foss, and Clifton Chasoncite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-spw-ufc15-2008may15,0,1463810.story|title=Russia's Fedor Emelianenko to fight in Anaheim|first= Lance|last=Pugmire|publisher=Los Angeles Times|date=2008-05-15|accessdate=2008-05-17] and originated as a spin-out from Foss and Chason's Digital Ink Creative Services.cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-137625617.html| title=Design company is venturing out on its own: O.C. firm that has made custom graphics for other businesses produces own line of clothing.|first=Jennifer|last=Bellantonio|date=2005-09-15|accessdate=2008-05-17|publisher=San Diego Business Journal] cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5293/is_200509/ai_n24304794|title=Digital Ink's 'Affliction' Clothing Sports Daggers, Blood and Skulls|first=Jennifer|last=Bellantonio|date=2005-09-18|accessdate=2008-05-17|publisher=Orange County Business Journal]

Mixed martial arts promotion

In 2008, Affliction became a mixed martial arts fight promoter after their clothing was banned from UFC events. When the UFC learned that Affliction was thinking about becoming an MMA fight promotion, they decided to ban all of their fighters from wearing Affliction clothing. Affliction entered the world of MMA fight promotion with the announcement of its event . The card featured many of MMA's top heavyweight fighters. The event is notable for the return of the Heavyweight Champion of the now defunct Pride FC promotion, Fedor Emelianenko, and former UFC Heavyweight Champions Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett. The disclosed total fighter payroll for the event was $3,321,000. The ring announcer for the event was Michael Buffer. "Big" John McCarthy along with Frank Trigg provided English commentary and the event was also attended by former disgruntled UFC fighters Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz. Donald Trump who was also in attendance recently purchased a significant equity stake in Affliction MMA.

Products

Affliction's clothing line includes t-shirts, polo shirts, thermals, and hoodies. Their style has been described as "skull and crossbone inspired".cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/josh_gross/05/07/lindland.mailbag/|title=New foe tops list of candidates to fight Lindland in Affliction|first=Josh|last=Gross|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=2008-05-07|accessdate=2008-05-17] Many of Affliction's shirts bear the logo of many of the world's top ranked MMA fighters, including: Georges St. Pierre, Randy Couture, and Quinton Jackson.

Its products are also worn and promoted by top boxers, such as current undisputed middleweight champion of the world, Kelly Pavlik, Ring magazine and IBO light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton, and by former undisputed middleweight champion of the world and hall-of-famer Bernard Hopkins, And also current WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito

Affliction's clothing line is also often seen being worn by WWE's Edge, Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Matt Hardy, Chavo Guerrero Jr, and Randy Orton. Also some TNA Superstars like Samoa Joe, Christian Cage, and AJ Styles wear these clothes. Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows is often seen sporting the latest Affliction T-shirts.

Several nightclubs and bars in Vancouver & Victoria do not allow Affliction's clothing in addition to other labels such as Ed Hardy due to a perceived association with local gang activities. Pamela Rogers, a spokesperson for Affliction, maintained that the brand "has nothing to do with gangs" and describes it instead as an "upscale men’s boutique brand". [Saunders, Lucy-Claire. [http://www.asianpacificpost.com/portal2/c1ee8c4419de645c0119e8b5139e0077_Designer_profiling.do.html Designer profiling] . May 14, 2008.]

References