I don't know about commercial brands but some gladiators were paid quite handsomely by sponsors[1], not unlike top-tier athletes today (actually, some arguably earned more than modern athletes[2])

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/drsarahbond/2016/08/10/how-athl...

[2] https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/01/18/the-highest-paid-a...