The UFC has set new benchmarks in revenue and sponsorship, securing the title of Sports League of the Year at the Sports Business Awards for the second consecutive year, having previously won the accolade in 2022.
With events hosted at prestigious venues such as the Sphere and in Saudi Arabia, along with strategic partnerships with major brands like IBM and Monster, the UFC has effectively elevated its business profile.
Commenting on the award, UFC chief content officer, Craig Borsari, said: “The brand is wildly hot, I think we’re in a position right now where we’re really excited about continued growth, not just in the U.S., but all of these new territories.”
“The sport has become even more global,
“The athletes are coming from different countries. The fan base has been growing, and we can sell tickets and sell out arenas all around the globe. You see it across every facet of the business,”
“Dana White challenged us with not only putting on an MMA event in one of the world’s most technologically advanced venues but also to tell the secondary narrative about the Mexican people, their fighting heritage, and their culture,
“It was a steep challenge for the team to figure out exactly how to meld those two things together and do it during a three-hour pay-per-view broadcast where we could achieve both goals,” Borsari said.
A standout achievement for the organisation was the landmark global sponsorship agreement with Monster Energy, valued in the nine figures and spanning five years, with an option for a sixth year.
This deal ensures that Monster retains its status as the official energy drink, a title it has held since 2015, and includes prime branding rights in the centre of the octagon, a critical advertising space during live events.
The UFC also solidified its position in the tech arena with an eight-figure sponsorship deal with IBM, enabling it to leverage artificial intelligence capabilities.
This was swiftly followed by additional agreements with Verizon, as the official wireless provider, and Meta, as the official fan technology partner.
Returning to the partnership scene, Anheuser-Busch has been announced as the official beer partner starting in early 2024, alongside Jose Cuervo, which has renewed its sponsorship for another five years.
The UFC has further optimised its operations within TKO Group, creating efficiencies between UFC and WWE.
This year marked the return of UFC events to China and Mexico for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside its inaugural fight night in Saudi Arabia.
The organisation has now staged events in 11 countries, achieving record high-grossing ticket sales at 15 different arenas.
A notable highlight was Noche UFC 306, a fight card celebrating Mexican Independence Day, which became the first live sports event at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
This event was also distinguished by featuring a title sponsor, Riyadh Season, and broke records by generating $22 million in revenue, supported by 34 corporate sponsors.
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