So, I was thinking about Conor McGregor the other day. Yeah, the fighter. Everyone knows him for the octagon, the trash talk, the big knockouts. For the longest time, that’s all I really registered. Just another loud, talented sportsman.
My Initial Thoughts
Honestly, I just saw the showman, the fighter. Never really gave a second thought to what else he might be up to. Figured he’d make his money in the ring, maybe do a few endorsements, and that’d be that. Standard stuff for big-name athletes, right?
Starting to Notice Things
Then, bit by bit, I started seeing his name pop up in different contexts. Not just sports news, but business sections, articles about brands. It wasn’t just about his next fight anymore. It was about… well, other stuff. This got me a bit curious, I won’t lie. I thought, “Hold on, what’s this fella really doing?”
Diving In: The “Practice” Part
So, I decided to do a bit of my own looking around. No deep, professional analysis, mind you, just a regular Joe trying to piece things together from what’s out there. My “practice” was basically seeing what ventures he’s involved in and how he’s going about it.
The first thing, and the most obvious one, was Proper No. Twelve whiskey. Man, that stuff was everywhere. He launched it, and it just exploded. He was constantly talking about it, promoting it, shoving it in your face every chance he got. You gotta admit, using his massive platform for that was a smart move. He wasn’t just the face; he was the engine behind it.
Then I found out about his fashion label, August McGregor. Suits, shirts, that kind of thing. Different angle from the whiskey, more “sophisticated,” I guess. I checked out some of the stuff online. Looked decent enough, though fashion’s a tough nut to crack. Lots of competition.
And he bought a pub in Dublin, The Black Forge Inn. Spent a fair bit of cash doing it up, apparently. That seemed more traditional, an Irishman buying a pub. But again, it’s a business, another revenue stream, another way to build his brand outside of fighting.
He’s also got his hands in the fitness and recovery space with stuff like TIDL Sport, which makes cryotherapy sprays. That one makes a lot of sense, given his background as an athlete. Tying his expertise, or at least his image as a top athlete, to a product.
What I Reckon He’s Doing
From what I’ve seen, his approach seems to be a few key things:
- Leverage Fame: He uses his massive public profile relentlessly. Every interview, every social media post, it’s an opportunity to plug his ventures.
- Brand Alignment (Mostly): The whiskey, the pub, the recovery products – they all kind of fit the “Conor McGregor” brand. Tough, Irish, high-performance. The fashion line is a bit of a stretch but aims for that aspirational “champ lifestyle” thing.
- Be the Main Man: He’s not just a silent partner. He’s front and center, the chief promoter, the living embodiment of his brands.
And you know, the sale of his majority stake in Proper No. Twelve for a huge sum? That showed it wasn’t just a hobby. He built it up, made it desirable, and then cashed in. That’s pure business.
My Takeaway
So, after my little look-see, I gotta say, my perception of the guy shifted. He’s not just a fighter who got lucky with a side hustle. There’s a definite strategy there, a clear attempt to build an empire. He’s trying to diversify, to create something that lasts beyond his fighting career. It’s almost like he’s treating “Conor McGregor” itself as the core business, and then spinning off product lines from that.
It’s a bit like some of these influencers or celebrities who launch their own lines. Some of it works, some of it flops. But McGregor’s doing it on a pretty big scale. It’s a hustle, plain and simple. He’s taking the fame and aggression he has in the ring and channeling it into the boardroom, or whatever his equivalent is. Pretty interesting to watch, actually. Shows you there’s often more to these public figures than meets the eye. He’s definitely playing the game, and playing it hard.
