NOBULL Merges With Tom Brady’s Wellness and Apparel Brands, TB12 and Brady

On January 30, NOBULL announced that they would be merging with seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady’s health and wellness company TB12 as well as his apparel brand Brady Brand.

One big thing: Fans of the brand have been speculating since the end of 2023 what NOBULL’s next move would be after their title sponsorship deal with CrossFit came to a close in December of 2023.

• This move not only moves NOBULL further into mainstream sports media, but it also helps to cement its position in the market as a holistic health and wellness company as this merge brings nutrition into the fold of its repertoire.
• This merger also brings Tom Brady in as the number two shareholder behind Mike Repole, whose investment firm purchased the majority stake in NOBULL.

Remind me: In July of 2023, NOBULL announced that the beverage mogul, who had previously brought success to major brands like Vitamin Water and BodyArmor, Mike Repole’s investment firm would be purchasing a majority stake in NOBULL.

• The change in leadership followed a turbulent time in NOBULL’s history as a brand.
• Two months before the purchase was announced, long-time NOBULL executive Todd Meleney announced his resignation as CMO along with layoffs in the same month.
• Despite that, Repole’s investment signaled a strong future for the company, as well as the potential for the brand to push into the mainstream market outside of the CrossFit industry.

More than shoes: NOBULL has long been heralded as one of the premiere shoe and apparel brands in the CrossFit industry. Still, with this merger, they are moving to expand their offerings to make themselves stand out from the competition in a very crowded industry ruled by giants like Nike and LuluLemon.

• In a video interview, Repole commented on what will be NOBULL’s biggest differentiator, “Nike doesn’t have protein and supplements,” he said.
• “NOBULL is a wellness brand. We do sneakers, apparel, mentality, nutrition, and who knows…and a lot more down the line. We have a vision and a mission, but it’s going to take us down the path of whatever we think people need to be the best versions of themselves,” And right now there’s a lot of clutter out here, there’s a lot of distractions and just putting people back on course,” Repole continued.
• Repole went on to describe his relationship with Brady and the former football star’s coaching that led him to lose 25 pounds and how that coaching aligned with his vision for the company.
• “We’re here to coach people and inspire people,” he said.

But both Brady and Repole know that breaking into such a competitive market, even with their unique differentiators won’t be easy.

• “We both have enough humility to understand that this is tough and will be a big challenge,” said Brady in a video interview.

Despite that, both Brady and Repole are confident in the future of the company, even hinting at a possible IPO.

• In an interview with Sportico, Repole stated that “IPO is on the table, but me being 55 and [Tom] being 45 now, it’s about giving back to others.”

What they’re saying: In a statement to the Morning Chalk Up, NOBULL described Brady and Repole’s vision for the brand.

• “Brady and Repole’s vision is for NOBULL to become a complete wellness company aiming to provide the tools needed to help those who strive to become better every day.”
• “From sneakers and apparel to nutrition, NOBULL will be focused on all aspects of wellness.”

Why it matters: In under a year, NOBULL has made two major moves to bring itself outside the fold of the CrossFit industry and into the mainstream health and wellness space. As they continue to bring investors into the brand outside of the CrossFit sphere, the legitimacy and the viability of the brand in the mainstream market continues to grow.