Bud Light to return as the UFC's official beer next year as it recovers from a conservative backlash
Bud Light is set to return as the official beer of the UFC in the U.S. next year as the brand tries to recover from a conservative backlash to a promotion with a transgender influencer
NEW YORK — Bud Light is set to return as the official beer of the UFC in the U.S. next year as the brand tries to recover from a conservative backlash to a promotion with a transgender influencer.
Under a new multiyear marketing deal between the promoter of mixed martial arts fights and Bud Light maker Anheuser-Busch, the brewer will become the UFC's “Official Beer Partner” in the U.S. starting Jan. 1, the two companies announced.
Outside the U.S., AB InBev, the parent of Anheuser-Busch, will be UFC's official global partner.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed — but, citing a person familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported that the global agreement marks the UFC's largest sponsorship ever, surpassing a $175 million fight-kit deal signed with Crypto.com back in 2021.
A UFC spokesperson declined to comment on the financial terms of the partnership. Anheuser-Busch did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
This isn't the first time the UFC and the beer brand have paired up. Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light were UFC’s original beer sponsors more than 15 years ago, UFC CEO Dana White said in a Tuesday statement — adding that he feels UFC, Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light “are very aligned when it comes to our core values.”
News of the partnership comes during a rocky year for Anheuser-Busch. The brewer has seen a monthslong sales decline for Bud Light after conservative critics vowed to boycott the brand for sending a commemorative can to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney earlier this year. Bud Light has also
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