UFC taps AirAsia to serve as global brand’s
first-ever “Official Airline” partner
NEW YORK – UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts
organization, today announced a new
multi-territory partnership with AirAsia, Asia’s leading low-cost carrier, to
serve as the global brand’s first-ever “Official Airline” sponsor. The
partnership, which encompasses Asia and Australia, will begin on Saturday,
November 4, during the highly-anticipated UFC® 217: BISPING vs. ST-PIERRE,
live from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.
“This deal is an indication of how much UFC and the sport of mixed
martial arts have grown in Asia and around the world,” UFC Vice President of Asia-Pacific Kevin Chang said. “AirAsia is an
innovative and fast-growing brand, we thank them for the support and we’re
looking forward to creating engaging branded content for fight fans and AirAsia
customers to enjoy.”
“In many ways, UFC’s rapid rise as a global phenomenon parallels
AirAsia's,” said Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer of
AirAsia. “The UFC expanded from their first event in Denver to the rest of the US and then to Asia-Pacific and the
world, while AirAsia grew from a small domestic airline into Asia's largest
low-cost carrier that now flies to the US. Opposite directions but chasing the
same dream, and we are thrilled to team up with a brand that shares our drive
and vision.”
AirAsia
will begin its international activations during UFC’s historic inaugural event
in mainland China at UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: SILVA
vs. GASTELUM on Saturday, November 25 at Mercedes-Benz Arena
in
Shanghai. As part of this collaboration, AirAsia will obtain rights to
signage and branding inside UFC’s world-famous Octagon® during
the event in Shanghai and select international UFC events in 2018.
With this partnership, AirAsia will also serve as presenting sponsor of
select UFC Fan Experiences throughout the region and promote a national sweepstakes
campaign where two fans will win a UFC VIP Experience during an event in 2018.
The airline brand will also be integrated across multiple UFC-based social and
digital platforms, as well as having a presence during live-event broadcasts
and on UFC.com. UFC and AirAsia will also jointly sponsor content featured on
Weibo and WeChat platforms in China.
Along with integration during international UFC events, this sponsorship
will also deliver exciting co-branded content to Asian fight fans via AirAsia
and UFC’s media platforms. These initiatives include monthly training sessions
featuring UFC athletes and members of the UFC Performance Institute’s staff.
UFC and AirAsia will also make history by selecting the first-ever UFC
scholarship program recipient. As part of this program, one Asia-based athlete
will be awarded an all-expenses paid scholarship that includes travel to the
United States and training at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
For more information on AirAsia, please visit
airasia.com or follow AirAsia on Facebook and YouTube (AirAsia), Twitter and
Instagram (@airasia), Weibo (@亚航之家) or WeChat and Zhihu (@亚洲航空).
For more information on UFC, please visit UFC.com. Follow us on Weibo,
WeChat, Youku, QQ, Facebook (UFC Asia), Twitter and Instagram (@ufc).
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