Getting off the ground Launching a new sport is no small task, and PFC has had its fair share of hurdles. While originally developed with live streaming in mind, some early deals in this area fell through (including one with comedian Kevin Hart). Eventually, PFC landed a spot on ESPN8: The Ocho – a special programme that broadcasts obscure sports – as well as sponsorship from Dr Pepper, Manscaped and Bionaze. To maintain exposure, ESPN8 shows a PFC match from August 2023 ‘on a constant loop’, according to Williams. “They play that every 48 and a half hours and then twice a month on ESPN News, which is on in [practically] every bar.” He’s just signed the contract for an upcoming ESPN event taking place at the Wide
World of Sports in Orlando, Florida – PFC’s home state. International expansion is also on the cards. “I signed licences for India, Nigeria, Ghana and Poland, and I’m working on Kenya and Lebanon,” Williams describes. Run by a small team, the sport is moving faster than they can ultimately handle. “If I really tried to make it a full-time thing, I’d be signing up a new country every week,” he suggests. “I haven’t done everything I can do here. We’re not fully developed.” Initially operating at a loss, PFC had its first fight in August 2020. The pillows themselves cost over $30 a pop, and the organisation vowed to pay its fighters in full. Although the sport has grown since then, it’s still missing its ‘billionaire backer’, according to Williams. “We are bouncing all over the world with literally no money,” he admits. “We’ve got about $5 million into it – about $2.5 million in cash and $2.5 million worth of labour. We’re doing great, but we need our billionaire.” Williams recognises the hesitation in being associated with a sport like pillow fighting, which may seem silly to the casual observer. “We need someone who’s beyond it.”
that those who succeed could carry out a career in professional fighting. Even the aforementioned 17-year-old enrolled in training sessions after his big win, and Williams has seen a smattering of pillow fighting classes popping up across the country. This all goes to show that anyone can be a PFC champion. A sign-up form is available on its social media channels and website, and they’ve received thousands of applications so far. “At some point, that’s going to be a big asset for us. We’re hoping that PFC will follow the same path that pickleball has, where we create city teams,” Williams shares. Besides participating in a relatively low-stakes yet high-intensity sport, fighters can win cash too. “We pay them,” states Williams. “Everybody needs money.”
YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE The scoring system in PFC rewards knockdowns with a five-point advantage
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