It’s not new for gambling companies to sponsor different sports aiming to reach their target audience. They’re exploring new mediums that attract people from all over the world to get them interested in the latest offerings of the online casinos.
It’s also good to have a better understanding of what there is on the market. As online casinos are constantly growing and increasing the number of games and offerings, it’s good to follow resources that provide an overview of several casinos and comparisons of various instant payout slots. As the competition in online gambling becomes more intense, big companies are constantly looking for ways to gain more attention and visibility. Sports became a perfect medium for effective cooperation and many companies saw great success in such brand development strategies.
Let’s dive more into why online casinos seek these collaborations and what the companies that sponsor MMA fighters.
What Attracts Gambling Companies To MMA
Many online casinos have seen a unique business opportunity in sports sponsorships, which led to many successful campaigns. Over the years, MMA became one of the most talked about sports, especially with unique tournaments and eccentric fighters like Connor McGregor.
Online casinos are constantly seeking ways to promote their newest deals and games. It’s also interesting to check these updates on various review websites, read on PayID withdrawal casinos, and compare options offered by various local providers. This helps to find the best promotions in the market without the need to look everything up yourself. Such forums and resources have experts sharing their opinions on recent updates as well as well-researched reviews that allow players to quickly get an idea of every major casino platform.
Nowadays, online casinos see fighter sponsorships as a great boost to the brand on the level of brand endorsements from top celebrities. Such campaigns has shown to be very effective for MMA sponsors due to:
- Stronger brand trust: Increasing brand awareness may be quite challenging for online casino providers, as their target audience is quite niche. Many brands strive to build trust with players starting from the first impression. Having a well-respected MMA fighter endorse a brand means their fans will show support for everything mentioned by that fighter.
- Access to a new international audience: MMA has big international events attracting millions of viewers. This high degree of brand exposure is hard to achieve, that’s why brands want to use this opportunity through sponsorships. With a powerful campaign, gambling websites can get great profits from their partnerships with MMA fighters.
- More customers = more revenues: And of course, with more exposure, online casinos get more customers. With more people playing and participating in promotions on their phones through different iOS or Android apps or on their desktops, there is more revenue for the casinos.
Top Companies That Sponsor MMA Fighters
MMA sponsorship is a proven way to gain more exposure and brand trust as well as one of biggest revenue streams for the fighters. Let’s take a look at several big MMA sponsors and how their collaborations saw success among fans.
- BetMGM: As one of the biggest online brands in the US, BetMGM, was looking for opportunities to expand in other markets. That’s why the company became the official betting partner of UFC back in 2019. There are many MMA fans in the UK and as the main sponsor, BetMGM, got a great exposure in that market, which allowed them to gain lots of customers during their UK expansion efforts.
- com: Another large platform offering not only an online casino but also a sportsbook. Stake.com also decided to sponsor UFC, as one of their main offerings is crypto support, which may be interesting for the MMA fans.
- PokerStars: A world-renowned brand, PokerStars, also invested in their marketing strategy and partnerships with different celebrities. They also chose Connor McGregor as one of their brand ambassadors. The brand saw opportunity in this partnership and signed a sponsorship long before McGregor became a global star. They had a long-lasting partnership,and the brand managed to stay alongside McGregor over the time he was rising on to become one of the most successful athletes in UFC history.
Successful Examples of MMA Sponsorship With Gambling
Let’s also explore several great examples of partnerships between top MMA fighters and online casinos.
Mike Tyson x Betfred
Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time with the WBA, WBC and IBF titles. Mike Tyson became a partner for a well-known casino brand 7 Red. However, it’s not his greatest partnership. In collaboration with Betfred, Tyson served as the inspiration for the Mike Tyson Knockout slot game, an online casino experience launched in 2016.
Conor McGregor x Parimatch
Conor McGregor, arguably one of the most successful MMA fighters in UFC, made news with his partnership with international betting giant Parimatch. The company made McGregor their brand ambassador and the athlete signed a two-year endorsement contract with the company. Parimatch also went on to become an official betting partner of UFC.
Audrey Harrison x Full Tilt Poker
Audley Harrison, a star heavyweight boxer from the UK, also had a successful case of a sponsorship agreement with an online casino provider. He signed a contract with Full Tilt Poker to become a Full Tilt Red Pro, as he’s already been a big poker fan.
Final Thoughts
Sponsorship deals between MMA fighters and online gambling companies have become the new norm in the industry. This practice has proven to be very effective, that’s why more companies want to leverage this medium for their campaigns. With numerous examples of successful partnerships, it’s safe to say that MMA sponsors looking for fighters will continue this trend. We’ll see even more of such collaborations in the upcoming years.