The fantasy sports contest and sports betting operator DraftKings was a UFC sponsor six years ago, but did not renew after one year. Now DraftKings is back in the Octagon, in massive fashion.
Sports Business Journal Editor-at-Large Terry Lefton reports that DraftKings has signed a five-year deal valued at $350 million, $100 million of which is cash, and the remainder in media and marketing obligations. The Boston-based organization is now the exclusive and official sportsbook and daily fantasy sports sponsor in the United States and Canada.
This is a massive deal that will benefit UFC, DraftKings, and most of all the fans, said UFC president Dana White to UFC.com. DraftKings is the best at what they do in the betting and daily fantasy space, and unlike other sports, UFC has no off season. The action will be non-stop. This is the most important deal we’ve ever done to increase engagement with our fans and reach new ones, and I’m looking forward to all the exciting things we’re going to do with DraftKings over the next few years.
DraftKings co-founder, CEO, and executive chairman Jason Robins was equally enthusiastic.
Combat sports, and UFC in particular, have scaled significantly across both our sportsbook and daily fantasy verticals, evolving from a niche offering to a high-demand category that we believe will only grow further as we innovate, he said. While DraftKings and UFC have previously collaborated on specific events, we are proud to become official partners and explore even more impactful integrations that prioritize the fan experience.
The sports technology and entertainment company will now be able to offer in-game promotions, activations, in-broadcast odds integrations, and UFC branding across its daily fantasy and betting products and will possess rights to use official UFC marks and logos. On a weekly basis, DraftKings will also provide fans with free-to-play UFC games as well as enhanced prop bets and other innovative sportsbook opportunities. Ahead of UFC 259 on March 6, DraftKings has launched a free-to-play UFC pool with $10K in prizing, available for fans to enter and compete nationwide.
