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Home / Sport / UFC

How McGregor brand makes millions outside UFC with whiskey business and fashion line

news.com.au
18 Jan, 2020 10:59 PM6 mins to read

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Does Conor McGregor even need to step into the Octagon now? Photo / Getty Images.

Does Conor McGregor even need to step into the Octagon now? Photo / Getty Images.

Does Conor McGregor even need to step into the Octagon now?

Notorious is gearing up for his UFC comeback on Sunday, January 19 as he takes on Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone in Las Vegas, but it's his businesses outside of MMA that have set him up for life.

McGregor, 31, reportedly has a net worth of around AU$190 million. However, that doesn't take into account his ventures in whiskey and fashion.

In 2018, he unleashed Proper No. Twelve into the crowded whiskey market, and that raked in $1.42 billion in its first year.

Then, he teamed up with American clothier David August Heil, the man famous for designing his infamous "F*** You" suit, and embarked on a menswear label a year later, which is said to make $94.6 million in profits-per-year.

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WHISKEY A-GO-GO

Before taking on Khabib Nurmagomedov, McGregor became a one-stop promotional tool for Proper No. Twelve.

Every press conference saw McGregor clutching a bottle gleefully, announcing his latest business idea to the crowded room.

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A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma)

He also revealed where the name for the whiskey came from.

"I come from a place called Crumlin, in Dublin 12," McGregor said.

"It's a place dear to my heart. It's where I learned how to fight, it made me who I am today."

"It's a place I'm still very much a part of every single day of my life. So, that's where the name came from. It's proper Irish whiskey and twelve is my hometown."

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When it finally came to launching the drink on a dry run at the end of 2018, it completely sold out.

In fact, at one point in Tesco Ireland stores customers were only allowed to buy two bottles at a time — it was that popular.

The showman's penchant as a salesman must have paid off when he revealed the official figures in its first year of business.

"Over $1b generated in Whiskey sales in my first year! Like it or not, there is a new King in town! Proper Whiskey, liquid sunshine!" McGregor wrote on Instagram.

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A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma)

The whiskey is such a hit in America the company sold six months' worth of stock in its first ten days of trading.

It sold 2.4 million bottles in its first six months of trading.

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McGregor predicts it will overtake Ireland's biggest distillery Jameson — which has been in business for 250 years.

CHARITY CASE

But McGregor isn't pocketing all the proceeds himself, giving some to charity.

On launch he said, "First responders all over the world are the unsung heroes who act with courage and answer the call of duty every day for people in need.

"I have great respect for these men and women. The company has committed to donate $5 (AU$7) for every case sold to local first responder organisations/charities, up to $1 million (AU$1.45 million) annually.

"The organisations/charities will be identified for each state and country around the world and donations will go directly to specific states and countries where sales take place."

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A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma)

He announced this week Proper No. Twelve will donate to Australian first responders after the bushfire disaster.

HE'S IN FASHION

Known for his sharp suits and sharp tongue, McGregor, who once called David Beckham his fashion icon, has always enjoyed splashing his cash on fashion.

Before he fought Floyd Mayweather in 2017, the Irishman was seen in various suits designed by David August Heil — a man responsible for ensuring the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Will Smith, and Robert Downey Jr are red carpet-ready.

On closer inspection, stitched into the lining, you could see the words "F*** You" etched onto the flashy garments.

At one fitting the pair decided that they should collaborate together.

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"We casually chatted about doing a line together but we finally got serious over the past several months," he said before the main event against 'Money' Mayweather.

"I credit David (Heil) with creating the look that has become a signature of mine and there's no other person I know who understands how fashion can change a person — physically, mentally and emotionally."

LAUNCH TIME

After a delay, the "Drop 1 Look Book" collection saw the release of limited edition T-shirts, hoodies and caps.

Incredibly, the clobber costing roughly between $75-$225 sold out in just a day.

"Our audience is seriously committed and loyal," Heil told The Irish Sun.

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"We sold out of a couple of styles within the first 24 hours of launching the site and we didn't really promote it other than our immediate followers and Conor's fanbase."

August McGregor later introduced tailored suits to their range, as well as winter jackets as his empire continues to grow.

It has been estimated that the clothing line brings in a staggering $94.5 million in profits per year.

SPONSORSHIPS AND THE DIGITAL AGE

In 2018, upon a signing a multi-million pound six-fight deal with the UFC, McGregor renewed a contract with Monster Energy drinks worth somewhere in the region of $1.4 million per year.

Brand McGregor also appealed to Reebok, who made him one of their famous endorsers and offered him around $7.5 million per year.

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And digitally, McGregor knows what's up when it comes to selling himself.

He has investments in tech products like The MacTalk App, which allows fans to download McGregor sound bites for $2 a pop, as well as his own website, TheMacLife.com — a MMA media outlet and news website dedicated to the man, who can't help but generate money with his name.

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