As Beats’ first gaming partner, fans of FaZe Clan co-owner NICKMERCS can now own special-edition headphones branded with the gamer’s logos.
On Wednesday, Beats By Dre revealed its new special-edition headphones inspired by Nick “NICKMERCS” Kolcheff, a Twitch streamer, YouTuber, and co-owner of esports organization FaZe Clan.
Kolcheff inked a deal with Beats last November as the brand’s first gaming partner, joining the ranks of LeBron James and Serena Williams among the audio company’s brand partners. Set to launch on July 22, Beats’ NICKMERCS earbud-style headphones are designed to pay homage to both the avid streamer and his family of loyal fans worldwide.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
“Beats Studio Buds are my everyday go-to earbuds,” Kolcheff said on the occasion. “I’ve been working out and traveling with these for a while now, and I’m super excited and proud to be collaborating with Beats to produce MFAM Beats Buds that my community around the world can wear proudly wherever they go.”
“MFAM” is the go-to phrase Kolcheff uses to identify his followers — M for Mercs, FAM for family. He has 6.5 million followers on Twitch alone, mainly using his channel to stream competitive first-person shooter games, including popular titles like Fortnite, Call Of Duty, and Apex Legends.
Kolcheff’s new partnership with Beats feels like a natural fit, as he’s previously promoted the launches of the Beats Fit Pro and Beats Studio Buds in his Twitch streams. The new NICKMERCS Beats Buds collab features his MFAM logo on each wireless earbud, which are nested in a case featuring a stylized Spartan head to represent Kolcheff’s Greek heritage, according to an official press release.
This partnership with Beats is another first for Kolcheff, and it follows a global ambassador deal with Under Armour announced in August 2021. The notable gamer is the first content creator to join the sneaker and apparel brand long known for major partnerships with top athletes like Stephen Curry, Lindsey Vonn, and Tom Brady.
Before this drop, Beats collabed with FaZe last year on a set of limited-edition headphones with a retail price tag of $350; this marks the second collaboration between the two entities. The new drop with Kolcheff comes on the same week FaZe officially went public via a $725 million SPAC deal on July 20. The esports company is now trading on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol FAZE.
Kolcheff’s Beats can only be found at BestBuy.com and are currently priced at $149.99.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
