Mariano Rivera to Pitch for SKECHERS
Legendary New York Yankees Closer Signs on to Appear in Relaxed Fit® Footwear Campaign
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Retired New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, arguably the greatest relief pitcher in baseball history, has signed on with SKECHERS to join the team of sports icons representing the successful men’s Relaxed Fit® from SKECHERS footwear line. A new advertising campaign featuring Rivera will begin in Spring 2015.
Mariano Rivera / Image Courtesy of Douglas Sonders Photography and 8112 Studios
Rivera’s campaign launches with a new television commercial utilizing the same humorous tone as previous spots for Relaxed Fit footwear starring Joe Montana, Mark Cuban, Joe Namath, and Pete Rose. The campaign will extend across all media with Rivera appearing in print, outdoor, online and point-of-sale materials through 2015.
“After 19 seasons on the mound, I’m the one that needs relief these days and comfortable Relaxed Fit shoes get the job done,” said Mariano Rivera. “I’m thrilled to be working with SKECHERS on the same team as the impressive roster of sports legends that have appeared in this ongoing campaign.”
“Sports icons have proven to be the perfect match for Relaxed Fit from SKECHERS as this campaign continues to resonate with fans around the globe who are discovering and loving the collection,” added Michael Greenberg, president of SKECHERS. “As one of the game’s greatest players, Mariano Rivera exemplifies everything about staying cool under pressure. He’s an inspirational star who will have no problem conveying that our comfortable footwear is the ideal way to help you stay relaxed in any situation.”
Nicknamed "Sandman," Rivera played his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees including 17 seasons as the team’s closer. A 13-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, he holds all-time MLB records for saves (652) and games finished (952). Known for his consistency, he saved at least 25 games for a record 15 consecutive seasons and posted an ERA under 2.00 in 11 seasons. An MVP in both the American League Championship Series and the World Series, Rivera has also won five American League Rolaids Relief Man Awards, three Delivery Man of the Year Awards, and finished in the top three in voting for the American League Cy Young Award four times. After an injury sidelined him for most of 2012, Rivera was named at age 43 as the American League’s 2013 Comeback Player of the Year—his final season before retirement.
Relaxed Fit from SKECHERS footwear offers fashionable appeal with a spacious design that features a roomier fit, a unique Skechers Memory Foam footbed and instant comfort. The men’s footwear line is available in SKECHERS retail stores as well as department and footwear stores around the globe.
SKECHERS has a long history working with sports icons over the years. Advertising campaigns for the brand have also featured Meb Keflezighi, Wayne Gretzky, Karl Malone, Evander Holyfield, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Fox, and Ronnie Lott.
About SKECHERS USA, Inc.
SKECHERS USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle footwear for men, women and children, as well as performance footwear for men and women. SKECHERS footwear is available in the United States via department and specialty stores, Company-owned SKECHERS retail stores and its e-commerce website, and in over 100 countries and territories through the Company’s international network of subsidiaries in Canada, Brazil, Chile, Japan, and across Europe, as well as through joint ventures in Asia and distributors around the world. For more information, please visit skechers.com, and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/SKECHERS) and Twitter (twitter.com/SKECHERSUSA).
This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s future growth, financial results and operations, its development of new products, future demand for its products and growth opportunities, and its planned opening of new stores, advertising and marketing initiatives, and the expansion and automation plans for the Company’s European Distribution Center. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking language such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will result,” “could,” “may,” “might,” or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include the resignation of the Company’s former independent registered public accounting firm, and its withdrawal of its audit reports with respect to certain of the Company’s historical financial statements; international, national and local general economic, political and market conditions including the ongoing global economic slowdown and market instability; consumer preferences and rapid changes in technology in the highly competitive performance footwear market; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers, decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2014. The risks included here are not exhaustive. The Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and the companies cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can the companies assess the impact of all such risk factors on their respective businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.
SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Jennifer Clay
310-937-1326
Source: SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Released Sep 9, 2014 • 9:00 am EDT