UFC, Bud Light Announce Multiyear Partnership, Ignite Boycott Calls
Bud Light testament become the “Official Beer Partner of UFC” in force(p) Jan. 1, 2024. Financial terms of the six-year deal were not disclosed.
Anheuser-Busch and the UFC, a division of TKO Group Holdings, announced the sponsorship accord on Tuesday. The news is already generating a snow flurry of pushback.
Bud Light is trying to revitalize its trademark after it faced a mountain of unfavorable judgment from drinkers earlier this twelvemonth when the beer debuted a marketing speckle with TikTok personality Bob Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light’s loyal drinkers scolded the brandmark for partnering with Mulvaney, a transgendered woman and activist, during the Mar Madness men’s college basketball tournament.
Conservatives led the revolt, with celebrities same Kid John Rock also getting inward on the Bud Light boycott. The controversy cost Anheuser-Bush InBev, the Belgian-based multination fuddle and brewing giant, many billions of dollars in missed sales and market place capitalization.
Bud Light also missed its stronghold on the US beer industry, with Modelo Especial at present holding the status as the top-selling beer inward the US. Bud Light had held that honor for 20 years.
Modelo became the Official Beer Partner of the UFC in 2017 after Bud Light ended its sponsorship that began in 2008. Modelo’s sell terminates at the terminate of 2022, and UFC President Dana Edward White decided to renew the UFC’s pact with Bud Light after Anheuser-Busch expressed interest.
UFC to the Rescue
The UFC and its marquise events and fights bring forth considerable palm and revenue for sportsbooks crossways the country. The NV Gaming Control Board includes mixed martial arts into its “other” category on with boxing. The “other” category won nearly $52.7 gazillion for books lowest year, with the UFC dominating the class.
The UFC continues to grow in popularity. White, the president and face of the UFC, said the decision to partner with Bud Light wasn’t only if nigh money.
“They were the first-class honours degree beer keep company that we did stage business with,” White, a conservative himself and major backer of former President Donald Trump, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “They were our for the first time tangible bountiful sponsor when we were getting started, and at present we’re back with them.”
I live all the controversy … but i require to be with somebody that I’m aligned with. They employ 65,000 Americans. They have thousands of vets who act for them. They spend $700 million a twelvemonth with US farmers using their crops to make water their products,” E. B. White continued inward comments that Anheuser-Bush executives testament follow happy to hear.
Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, added, “As one of the largest and longest standing summercater sponsors, we are excited to process with UFC to fete our passionate fans piece e'er making a positive wallop in communities crosswise America.”
Fans Revolt
Many UFC fans were quick to state their displeasure over the league partnering with Bud Light. Some fans canceled their UFC Fight Pass memberships, while others said they’re through purchasing UFC pay-per-view events.
. @danawhite @ufc @budlight
Thanks to your young sponsorship i #CancelFightPass positive Im going to economize $80 a month on PPV. Know your audience. pic.twitter.com/CHkMurCHk0
— Matt Allen Stewart Konigsberg (@thew92) October 24, 2023
Others, however, said the partnership makes sense, at to the lowest degree for Bud Light.
If there's ONE trademark that put up preserve Bud Light, it's @ufc. https://t.co/0dZNydFxLk
— St. Patrick Bet-David (@patrickbetdavid) October 25, 2023
While neither the UFC nor Bud Light confirmed the terms of the sponsorship, a source not authorized to speak in public reportedly told Bloomberg that the trade marks the league’s “largest sponsorship ever.” The UFC’s richest sponsorship to day of the month that’s been revealed publically is a $175 billion business deal with Crypto.com inwards 2021.
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