
Sports leagues worldwide are eager to tap into the growth potential of Spanish-speaking audiences. The latest example: LaLiga North America partnering with the United Fighting Championship (UFC).
The world’s top mixed martial arts organization is joining with Spanish soccer’s exclusive representation in North America to form a content-focused partnership to engage with fans across both sports.
“Fundamentally, what we’re trying to do is establish a relationship that allows us to build our Hispanic audience,” David Shaw, SVP of international and content of UFC, told Sportico in a phone interview. “Not only in the U.S., but also throughout Spain, Portugal, Europe and South America.”
With more than 688 million fans globally, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually while broadcasting to nearly 900 million households across more than 170 countries. According to Shaw, 22% of UFC’s U.S. audience identifies as Hispanic or Spanish ethnicity.
Shaw said this partnership will deepen the relationships between LaLiga and UFC fans through social and digital media collaborations. Each year, UFC and LaLiga will organize at least three activations in Spain with athletes from both sports and participation of LaLiga clubs to promote the soccer league, its clubs and players among UFC fans in North America.
UFC will integrate LaLiga into existing digital shows. In addition to social media collaborations, LaLiga North America will create social content around UFC Fight Weeks.
“We had a great first activation with UFC in Spain at the start of the LaLiga season,” Adrian Segovia, the head of content and distribution of LaLiga North America, told Sportico. “The crossover opportunities are endless and we’re just getting started.”
Both leagues will also collaborate on campaigns such as Hispanic Heritage Month, International Fight Week, the Real Madrid-Barcelona El Clásico matches and UFC’s upcoming 30th anniversary by cross-promoting such events on their respective social channels.
“Hispanics make up a significant percentage of the population in the United States and are at the heart of both LaLiga North America and the UFC’s fanbases,” Segovia said. “Our focus will be finding commonalities within the LaLiga and UFC communities to enhance fan access and create relatable, engaging content.”