- George Chung
- Mar 25, 2024
- 2 min read
In a landmark deal for the sports and medical technology industries, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Smith+Nephew have unveiled a multi-year marketing partnership. This collaboration marks the first instance of UFC naming a Preferred Sports Medicine Technology Partner, positioning Smith+Nephew at the forefront of sports medicine innovation within the highly competitive world of mixed martial arts.
Under this partnership, Smith+Nephew will enjoy prominent branding within the iconic UFC Octagon during select Fight Nights, leveraging the UFC's massive global audience spanning over 700 million fans across 170 countries and approximately 975 million television households. This strategic visibility aims to highlight Smith+Nephew's cutting-edge sports medicine technologies and solutions.
Robby Miller, UFC's Vice President of Global Partnerships, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, highlighting UFC's commitment to athlete health and safety. The partnership with Smith+Nephew aligns with UFC's ongoing efforts to promote better health and recovery for its athletes through innovative technology.
Scott Schaffner, President of Sports Medicine at Smith+Nephew, emphasized the synergy between Smith+Nephew's mission of "Life Unlimited" and UFC's unparalleled global reach. This partnership is set to showcase Smith+Nephew's advanced sports medicine technologies to a wide audience, including athletes, orthopedic consultants, and fans worldwide.
The partnership extends beyond event branding, with plans for original content distribution through UFC's extensive digital and social media channels, which cater to over 259 million users globally. Smith+Nephew will also feature prominently within the UFC Performance Institutes located in Las Vegas, Shanghai, and Mexico City, further integrating the company's sports medicine solutions into the fabric of MMA training and rehabilitation.
An annual Brand Ambassador fund will further bring this partnership to life, enabling creative campaigns and engagements featuring UFC athletes to promote the collaboration and its benefits to the wider sports community.
