Best Sports Halloween Costume: The Winner Is...
CNBC Sports Business Reporter
Even though an O.J. Simpson mask made in the mid 90s sold for nearly $300 on eBay a couple weeks ago, this blog is happy to say we're confident that this year's pick for best sports Halloween costume isn't O.J. And it's not going to cost you $300 either.
It's Chazz Michaels Michaels, Will Ferrell's character in the movie "Blades of Glory."
To me, it has all the characteristics of a good costume. It's a little weird (men in tights), it's unique and the movie was popular enough that most people will know who you are.
"Blades of Glory" did $118 million in the box office this year. How impressive is that? Well, it's the eighth largest grossing sports movie of all time in the U.S., according to data from BoxOfficeMojo.com, behind "Waterboy" ($161 million), "The Longest Yard" re-make ($158 million), "Jerry Maguire" ($153 million), "Talledega Nights" ($148 million), "Rocky IV" ($127 million), "Rocky III" ($125 million) and "Seabiscuit" ($120 million).
Before we discuss the business of it all, check me out in all my (Blades of) Glory.
The costume was made by a company called Rasta Imposta, who purchased the licensing rights to the costume in February, more than a month before the movie came out.
"We knew it had Will Ferrell in it and we did Talledega Nights' costumes and they were really popular," said Robert Berman, the company's founder who has been in business since 1992.
It was still a risk to go for the "Blades of Glory" license, which also includes Jon Heder's (Jimmy MacElroy) costume. "It required an upfront payment, a royalty and a guarantee," Berman said. "All we had to go on was the fact that we knew it was male figure skating and we saw some of the trailers and thought it would be funny."
The movie was an instant hit. And trust me, so is this costume, which comes with a headband, shirt, pants and shoe covers and retails for about $60. The wig that most people will need is sold separately.
Perhaps the best thing about the costume, Berman points out, is that it's hard to find a male adult leotard and "there's really no way you can copy this like people do with other costumes."
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