If you've ever been to a high-profile boxing match or seen a UFC fight on television, you'll easily notice the scantily clad women who parade around the ring between rounds. A product of 1950s Las Vegas, ring card girls once were used to promote the fight in order to garner more viewers. Despite what you might think about their presence in the ring, these amateur models have a few purposes to serve for branding and information during the match.
Round Cards
You'll most likely see the ring card girls holding a card high above their heads. The number on the card denotes the upcoming round. They're assigned to walk around the ring between rounds while the fighters take a quick break. This keeps the interest on the ring for the few moments between rounds and provides entertainment during the short lull in action.
Branding
Because fights often are televised in millions of homes, marketing is a large portion of the funding for the various fights. Some of the most famous ring card girls were the Budweiser girls, who held Budweiser-branded round cards when they walked around the ring. Some even wore Budweiser-branded bikinis to further advertise the brand. While you might think that the cards are the last thing patrons are looking at when the ring card girls walk to the ring, it's subtle branding that means big bucks for the International Boxing Organization, the venue and other associations affiliated with fights.
Eye Candy
Boxing promoter Frank Maloney once said that women belong in the boxing ring only as ring card girls. While female boxers will certainly dispute the opinion, it's a simple fact that ring card girls are there for the average audience member's enjoyment. Since boxing is predominantly a male sport in both participation and viewership, venues and events can create interest by using ring card girls as a draw for the fight.
Costumes
The costumes for the ring card girls have varied over the years. At first, ring card girls appeared in evening dresses that were demure rather than sparse. In Harlem in the 1970s, topless ring card girls were used to promote fights and attract customers until the New York State Athletic Commission forbade the practice. In the 80s, high-cut swimsuit costumes were the norm. As the role of the ring card girl has become more defined, the costumes have become skimpier and more sponsor-heavy. Often a fight will have several ring card girls in matching outfits.
Posted in: Boxing