Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced a six-year partnership with sports apparel company Reebok to be its exclusive uniform supplier on Tuesday in New York City. UFC president Dana White said the partnership was the largest non-broadcast deal in the major mixed martial arts (MMA) company’s history.
Attended by stars such as UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, #2 ranked featherweight Frankie Edgar and hip-hop artist Swizz Beatz, the press conference featured the blockbuster announcement by White, UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and Reebok president Matt O’Toole.
Under the deal, all UFC athletes will receive “Fight Week Gear” and a “Fight Night Kit” upon arriving at the arena of their bout. UFC athletes will receive payment from the deal, with the champion earning most of the money on fight night, followed by descending amounts for fighters ranked 1-15. Fighters, even if retired, are expected to earn 20% of all revenue from Reebok merchandise with their name on it. Reebok will also provide UFC-themed gear for fans in the unprecedented combat sports licensing deal.
Set to launch in 2015, the partnership also includes a notable charity component. A percentage of sales from the Reebok/UFC products will go towards the international non-government organization Fight for Peace, a group that uses combat sports, education and job training to help young people exposed to crime and violence in Brazil and London. The global visibility of both UFC and Reebok shines new light on Fight for Peace’s mission to realize the potential of our youth.
From clothing stores, to the streets of Brazil, to the locker rooms of the world’s top athletes, UFC and Reebok are changing the combat sports game.
