BD8 Capital Partners CIO Barbara Doran evaluates the meta and considers if the stock market is overreacting to tariffs by “making money.”
The UFC and meta platforms are positioned for significant transactions together.
The Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization revealed its “multi-year” collaboration with META on Wednesday, stating that the Mark Zuckerberg-led tech company will be its first “official fan technology partner.”
As per the TKO Group-owned UFC, “We are collaborating to enhance our fans’ experience with UFC content more than ever, utilizing Meta’s technology platform, services, and products including Meta Quest, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads.”
On August 23, 2014, during a UFC fight night at the Cotai Arena in Macau’s Venetian hotel and casino, individuals look at caps at the merchandise booth. (Brent Lewin / via Bloomberg / Getty Images)
Meta serves as the UFC’s “official AI glasses partner,” while its social media platform Threads is recognized as the “official social media partner” of the MMA organization.
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A thread initiated by a significant tech company In July 2023, UFC announced it would provide “exclusive original content that stimulates discussions surrounding the most significant moments of each UFC event,” aiming to be “a key hub for the UFC community.”
Apps Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp will be displayed on May 16, 2024, on your smartphone screen next to the Meta Internet Company logo. (Jens Büttner / Picture Alliance / Getty Images)
UFC CEO Dana White stated that Meta “enhances fan engagement considerably” through various elements of the collaboration.
Dana White is scheduled to address a campaign rally supporting former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 27, 2024. (Anna Money Maker/Getty Images)
“We have already started exploring some innovations with Meta, particularly a new fighter ranking system that we will unveil soon,” he noted. “The coming years will truly transform the experience for fans of the sport.”
As stated by the UFC, through this partnership, Meta will be “embedded in a variety of activations and fight nights across all pay-per-views and during fight events.”
Zuckerberg is a significant proponent of MMA and has participated in MMA training for multiple UFC matches over the years, which makes this partnership seem fitting. White has also recently joined Meta’s board of directors, elected earlier this year.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the left poses with UFC President Dana White at the UFC Fight Night event held in Las Vegas on October 1, 2022. (Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC / Getty Images)
“I am passionate about the sport and eager to collaborate with the UFC to experience it in innovative ways,” Zuckerberg expressed in a statement accompanying the partnership announcement.
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The UFC conducts more than 40 live events annually, with its broadcasts reaching upwards of 950 million households globally.
In late February, TKO Group’s CEO Ari Emanuel indicated during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report that UFC “achieved the highest total event record in a decade in 2024, five of which are the largest rankings in UFC history.”
| Ticker | safety | last | change | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TKO | TKO Group Holdings | 145.09 | -3.45 |
-2.32% |
| Meta | Meta Platforms Inc. | 546.29 | -39.48 |
-6.74% |
The company reported that the UFC generated $1.4 billion in total revenue for 2024.
Additionally, the TKO Group also holds ownership over WWE and Professional Bull Riding (PBR).
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