Masked Republic announces further company expansion with a new focus on the expansion of licensing and content development.
Masked Republic has seen a recent expansion that has allowed for merchandise featuring legendary luchadors to be sold at Hot Topic stores. Now, the company has announced new roles and hires that we’ll see a unified focus on the growth of content development and the expansion of licensing opportunities.
From Masked Republic:
New roles focus on company’s expanding licensing and content development arms.
San Diego, CA – October 19, 2020
Following the company’s critically and fan acclaimed first online convention and experience, Expo Lucha: Virtual, Masked Republic announced four new roles being added to help continue their expanding operations.
Producer Hector Rodriguez joins the company as the new Director of Development. A talented writer himself, the founder of Texas Latino Comic Con recently optioned his own comic book series El Peso Hero for film. Rodriguez will work directly with company COO Kevin Kleinrock who, alongside Masked Republic founder & CEO Ruben Zamora, has crafted an expansive slate of original series and brands which the Director role will see him work to bring to life.
Masked Republic’s licensing efforts have expanded greatly over the past three years and with tentpole Legends of Lucha Libre®, the player’s association of the sport, as well as Lucha Brothers Brand™, RUDA® and Lucha Central® and the company is now adding new
Gabriel Ramirez, long-time industry executive and current owner and operator of Pro Wrestling Revolution, has been named Licensing & Brand Manager. Ramirez’s long-standing relationships with many of today’s biggest legends and stars along with the trust the talents place in him have made him one of a select few who can fill a role such as this. Ramirez has already brought globally recognized talents Ultimo Dragon and The Great Sasuke into the Masked Republic fold for licensing and in the role, he will continue the company’s mission of representing the legends, icons, and hottest current superstars of the industry as well as serving as the brand manager for signed talents’ IP.
Adrian Salas, owner, and operator of Golden Era Lucha Tees, has been named Licensing Associate. Adrian’s work to help many of Tijuana’s lucha libre legends create and distribute their own officially licensed products has given him both the relationships and industry knowledge to help even more talents through his new role. Salas currently oversees Super Astro, Super Astro Jr and El Matematico’s brands within Legends of Lucha Libre, and with his new role, additional talents will be added.
Officially licensed products require licensed assets including photography and art. From a single image for packaging to hundreds of photos required for projects like the forthcoming Eat Like A Luchador cookbook out June 1, 2021 from Running Press, thousands of images pass through Masked Republic annually. Long time company photographer Jerry Villagrana, whose work has been licensed for more than a dozen company products, has been named Licensing & Creative Manager. In this role, Villagrana will be Masked Republic’s emissary to other photographers and creatives as well as working to select images for use on and within products.
All four roles report to company President and COO Kleinrock.
ABOUT MASKED REPUBLIC®
Masked Republic, a privately held company, is the first integrated live event, merchandising and media organization uniquely centered in the emerging growth market of lucha libre and dedicated to expanding the sport, deemed an integral part of Mexican culture, beyond the borders of Mexico. The company’s core lines of business include representation of dozens of the biggest stars in the industry, worldwide merchandising through the company’s Legends of Lucha Libre® brand, live event production and management, production and distribution of content across multiple platforms including television, home entertainment, pay-per-view digital media and film. The company is headquartered in San Diego, CA with offices in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Mexico City and London.
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