Meta and UFC are expanding on the partnership they first struck last year, with the tech giant scoring naming rights to the UFC’s Las Vegas facility, which will be renamed the Meta Apex.
The naming rights come amid a significant expansion of the facility, which will include making tickets to UFC events at the venue available to the public for the first time, with Meta branding throughout the venue.
The Apex has hosted nealy 200 events since opening in 2019, including 112 Fight Nights, 70 episodes of Dana White’s Contender Series, and four UFC BJJ events. It will also house some event for Zuffa Boxing, the new boxing promotion that UFC owner TKO is launching this year.
Las Vegas, of course, is a major destination for fight fans, and the added experiential opportunities are another way to bolster the UFC brand and grow revenue.
Nearly a year ago Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg (an avid MMA fan and amateur fighter himself) inked a deal to become the “official fan technology partner” of UFC, with its branding and devices featured at events (every major UFC fight will feature plenty of fighters wearing Meta Ray-Bans).
And UFC CEO Dana White joined Meta’s board a year ago, underscoring the close relationship between the companies.
“Meta is always at the forefront of technology and immersive experiences, and their enhancements will change the way fans view live fights,” said White in a statement. “This rebranding comes at the perfect time as the facility is completing a major renovation, expanding capacity, concessions, hospitality, and UFC retail. For the first time ever, fans can come to Meta Apex and experience UFC fights with interactive VR, AI, and wearable technology. I can’t wait for fans to see it.”
“Extending our partnership with UFC with the Meta Apex is about more than just a venue; it’s about redefining how fans and athletes connect and experience the sport,” added Alex Schultz, CMO & VP of analytics at Meta. “We’re thrilled about the future and the opportunity to bring our technology even deeper into UFC, giving fans the chance to immerse themselves in the action in new ways.”