This falls under the category of News To Me, but it’s still interesting as we’ve almost now completely forgotten about the NCAA tournament. I can still hear the clang of the rim from Butler’s end of the floor, but I digress. Gus Johnson, who has voiced everything from college basketball to Madden to a Buffalo Wild Wings ad, actually trademarked one of his signature phrases. Why? So he could sell stuff, dummy.
Last fall, he trademarked his famous line “Rise And Fire” for use on athletic apparel and plans to launch a Web site some time before the NCAA men’s basketball tournament ends so that fans can buy can by hats, licensed by New Era, and T-shirts.
“The reason to trademark the phrase was to create a brand and a movement out of his signature call that can be instantly recognizable by his fans to inspire passion,” said Johnson’s marketing agent Christian Gesue. “Rise and Fire celebrates the moments of excitement and raw emotion that embodies athletic merit and achievement, in all forms, from all over the world.”
CNBC, via MMA Mania.
Gus Johnson is like the Santa Claus of good sports vibes, except that he doesn’t crawl down your chimney in the middle of the night. I’m pretty sure that Santa only gets away with that because he’s white.
