By Curtis Hendricks
Live2Die is a clothing and logo line born in the Coachella Valley during 2011, and given life by one local, Anthony Bauer. The Live2Die brand is a unique style of clothing that bares the Live2Die logo in various styles and positions, all created by Bauer. The brand includes hats, shirts, and various items such as stickers, temporary tattoos and decals. You may have read a previous article in the Coachella Valley Weekly on Bauer and his business, but I want to focus on the opportunities he gives to our community, and those he helps through sponsorship.
With his mantra “Get busy living, or get busy dying,” Bauer attacks life and lives it to its fullest. The outdoors are a second home to Bauer. He was brought up to have a love for fishing and hunting. This love led to his charter boat The Dominator. With high tech deep sea fishing, this 65 foot boat can handle the most intense fishing situations, which is exactly what Bauer likes. This boat is in no way used as a symbol of success or money, rather a message and a tool. Bauer takes his boat out during the worm weather once a month and offers fishing trips to kids. Not just any fishing trip, but a trip that only The Dominator can supply with its many amenities. Bauer finds local sponsors to help drive the cost down so local kids can step away from their game systems and computers, and start experiencing a whole new form of life. When I talked to Bauer, he showed great concern about how kids rarely go outside like his generation did. Now, Bauer is not that old, but he did reminisce about what life was like when kids where gone all day outside exploring, and had to be home before the streetlights turned on. Bauer wants to use his company for more than to sell his products. He wants to create opportunities for kids to participate in activities.
Bauer prides himself as a sponsor of various athletic groups and fighters. Bauer, as a Palm Desert High School (PDHS) alumnus, helps the PDHS wrestling team with his sponsorship and love for the sport. One PDHS wrestler Bauer is very proud of is freshman Anthony Mantanona. With accomplishments such as five time youth state champion in wrestling, and five time Gi and No Gi world champion in Jiu Jitsu, just to name a couple, Mantanona is a great competitor and a great example of the type of sponsorship that Bauer wants to give. The Live2Die brand also makes a strong presence in the UFC fighting sport sponsoring fighters like Steve Swanson, Daniel Valdez, Dashon Johnson, and Pat Cummins (Durken). Cub Swanson is another UFC fighter that is sponsored by Bauer, although, Swanson has his own way of giving back to the community as well. Swanson is the owner of the TRU MMA, which is a school that helps local kids learn the sport of MMA. As a local boy himself, graduating from Cathedral City High School, Swanson holds his own outreach for the community. Bauer also sponsors the Coachella Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Bauer has not just taken his Live2Die brand to a successful hold around many sporting events, but is helping to build good people who are in turn helping back through the community. Bauer boasts how these hard fighters come join him on The Dominator with the community kids and have a great time. Bauer is a great community member and cares much for our youth.
If you are interested in any fishing events, or have questions, please feel free to contact Bauer at abauer@live2diegear.com. The Live2Die Take a Kid Fishing event for May 18th is $45 per person. You may bring a kid or sponsor a foster kid from the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program. Bauer has already sponsored 4 kid spots on the boat. Also, Bauer would like to open his business mind up to any event suggestions you may have. He is always looking for new ideas and adventure. Don’t forget to check out the Live2die gear at live2diegear.com. Check out the whole Live2die team and events. Also check out a previous article in the Coachella Valley Weekly on Bauer and his business, written by Denise Ortuno Neil.
