2025-04-04 06:00
publication
2025-04-04 06:00
Sport, technology and great money – when these three worlds combine, something special is always born. Sometimes it is a revolution, sometimes a surprising partnership, and sometimes a completely new way to experience emotions. In the latest events in the world of sport, such a breakthrough moment has appeared, which can change the rules of the game.
The TKO Group, the owner of UFC, has concluded a long -term million partner agreement with the finish. UFC integration with META will cover a whole range of company products, including Meta AI, Meta Glasses, Meta Quest, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads. The financial details of the contract have not been disclosed.
Meta will become an “official technological partner for fans” UFCand her branding will appear in the UFC octagon during Gal Pay-Per-View and “Fight Night”. “Mark and his team from the finish do things that will delight UFC fans,” said the president and general director of UFC Dana White in a statement for CNBC.
The partnership with the finish is independent of UFC talks on media rights, which will start later in April. The exclusive UFC negotiating window with the current partner, ESPN, ends on April 15. As previously reported by CNBC, ESPN does not plan to extend the contract before this period.
According to Grant Norris-Jones, the head of global partnerships in TKO, talks about the sponsorship agreement between companies began in the second half of 2024. UFC negotiated with many potential partners from various industries and decided that the meta could provide the league most of what they need.
Norris-Jones said: “Meta will be our official marketing partner, an official partner in the field of AI glasses, an official partner in the field of Wearables and the official partner of social media. They invest significant funds in our ecosystem.”
Threads will contain exclusive UFC content, which will be included in the UFC live broadcasts. Both companies are already working on subsequent advertisements that will appear in the next three to nine months, including the new UFC competitors ranking system, which will use the finish line.
Zuckerberg loves MMA
Norris-Jones pointed out that although White and Zuckerberg did not personally negotiate the terms of the contract, their close relationships were important. White joined the finish line in January. Mark Zuckerberg, on the other hand, emphasized in a statement to CNBC that he is happy to cooperate with UFC, because he “loves MMA”, and now fans of this discipline will be able to experience it in a new way. The general director of the finish has already participated in many UFC events and privately trains mixed martial arts.
In January, Zuckerberg told Joe Rogana that corporate culture would benefit from a greater dose of “male energy”, as well as: “Culture, which to some extent celebrates aggression, has its advantages.” In July, he stated that the reaction of President Donald Trump after he was shot in his ear was “extremely impressive”. Trump himself is also friends with White, who supported him and spoke at the Republican Convention in 2024.
Meta noticed Zuckerberg's passion for martial arts in its annual report as a potential business risk. “We are currently depending on further work and performance of our key employees, including Marek Zuckerberg,” said the company in its corporate application. “Zuckerberg and some other members of the management take part in various risky activities, such as martial arts, extreme sports and recreational aviation, which involve the risk of serious injuries and death. If Zuckerberg has become inaccessible for any reason, it could have a significant negative impact on our operations.”
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