BUSINESS / ALLIANCES / SPORTS
Marks next phase of longstanding partnership between leading Spanish-language media company and the premier Hispanic MMA sports franchise
Campbell McLaren, CEO de Combate Global. Foto: Linkedln. Juan Carlos Rodríguez, presidente de deportes de Univision
Combate Global, LLC and Univision Communications Inc., the leading Spanish-language media and content company in the U.S., announced that Univision has acquired a significant equity stake in the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise. The agreement goes into effect immediately.
The transaction formally aligns Combate Global’s world-class talent and deep connection to the MMA community with Univision’s promotional and production capabilities, positioning the fight organization for international expansion. The announcement comes on the heels of the companies’ recent five-year media rights deal that features 30 live television events airing annually – a total of 150 events – many of which will take place live from Univision’s studios in Miami, Florida.
“Since teaming up in 2018 Univision and Combate Global have created an entirely new audience for MMA. Today, those content hungry fans, combined with our dynamic athletes, represent the future of the sport for Hispanic audience” said Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren.
“This investment marks the first step in Univision’s broader strategy to deliver more exciting, live combat sports to our Hispanic’s audience,” said Juan Carlos Rodriguez, president of Sports Enterprises, Univision.
The property has averaged 425,000 Total Viewers 2+ viewers in the U.S in 2021 to-date on Univision, making it the highest-rated Spanish language program in its time slot. Additionally, Combate’s July 23rd event delivered 543,000 Total Viewers 2+, the second largest audience ever for the program and highest since 4/13/18. Meanwhile, 47% of the Combate audience is made up of the coveted Adults 18-49 demographic, the highest percentage among all MMA properties year to-date. *Source: Nielsen, NPM, L+SD data, thru 7/23/21
Combate Global, previously “Combate Americas,” is the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, rapidly becoming the number two sport after soccer for Spanish speaking fans worldwide. The franchise includes live event and original shoulder programming and is the only MMA property regularly airing on broadcast television in both the U.S. (Univision) and Mexico (Televisa). Nielsen research indicates that an astounding 91 percent of Combate Global viewers are not regular viewers of other MMA content, demonstrating that Combate Global has garnered a new MMA audience.
Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren, also the co-founder and creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has been described by New York Magazine as “the marketing genius behind the UFC,” while Yahoo Sports has said he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.” Under his direction, the growth of Combate Americas’ television footprint and worldwide audience triggered a re-branding in 2021 to Combate Global.