TKO Strikes Multiyear Deal With Meta for Fan Engagement
Mark Zuckerberg and Dana White are getting closer together. UFC has inked a multiyear deal with Meta Platforms to use the Facebook parent’s apps and tech to deepen engagement with UFC fans, according to a press release Wednesday. Meta will be the MMA league’s first official “fan technology partner,” covering various Meta products, including branding Meta as the official AI glasses partner of UFC and making its tweet network Threads the official social media partner of the league. The partnership will also integrate Meta’s glasses into UFC events and utilize Threads as the hub for UFC social media. Additionally, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook are among the Meta products involved in the collaboration.
Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but sources close to the companies have indicated that it is a significant, multimillion-dollar arrangement. Dana White and Mark Zuckerberg have had a relationship for at least a few years. White mentioned in 2023 that he and the Meta chairman and CEO speak multiple times a week. This year, White also consulted with Facebook on potentially using its algorithms to enhance UFC’s ranking system. Notably, White joined the Meta board of directors this year, giving him influence on Meta’s operations.
Meta CEO Zuckerberg, who has a fitness routine including MMA, has attended UFC fights with his wife Priscilla Chan. At UFC 298 in Anaheim, Calif., Zuckerberg even walked out into the arena with UFC fighter Alexander Volkanovski. “I love this sport,” the 40-year-old Harvard dropout expressed in a release.
The stock market had a mixed reaction to the announcement. TKO Group shares opened up 24 cents per share, at $153.23, on the New York Stock Exchange, while Meta’s shares opened on the Nasdaq at $574.91, down $11.09.
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