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Ratna Bhushan
Boby Kurian

New Delhi/Bangalore , Feb. 2

THE Rs 350-crore Gokaldas Images Ltd, which owns and markets the apparel brand Weekender, is set to ink an alliance with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), for licensing and marketing apparel in the domestic market.

Industry sources told Business Line that as part of the deal, Weekender apparel, such as T-shirts, shirts, trousers and jerseys, would sport photographs and taglines of WWE superstars. According to the sources, this range of apparel is likely to hit retail shelves by mid-2004. Details of the royalty arrangement between Gokaldas and WWE could not be ascertained.

While officials at Total Sports Asia (the exclusive Asian representative of the WWE) confirmed to Business Line that the deal was in the final stages of negotiations, they declined to elaborate on details of the deal. It must be mentioned that Weekender earlier had entered into similar licensing arrangements with Walt Disney and Warner Bros for the kids wear market in the country.

The WWE, on its part, is looking to establish a corporate presence for itself in India. The group is considering setting up a representative office in India shortly. In addition, the group already has a series of promotional licensing and retail merchandising deals with Indian companies. The group has existing arrangements with FMCG players Britannia and Perfetti Van Melle, and Ultra Home Video for home video licensing.

According to officials at Total Sports Asia, WWE is looking at expanding its licensing portfolio in the India market. "We expect licensing arrangements to contribute significantly to our growth in South Asia," the officials said.

WWE, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, has three main sources of revenue -- live and televised entertainment comprising telecasting live events and television programming, branded merchandise, which involves licensing and direct sale of merchandise, and retail merchandising and licensing. WWE's revenues for first quarter of fiscal 2004 were $74.7 million. Live and televised entertainment activities accounted for 84 per cent of the group's revenues, while branded merchandise activities accounted for the remaining 16 per cent.

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Weekender to sign pact with WWE — Apparel to sport wrestlers' photographs

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