The UFC and DraftKings have signed a groundbreaking new partnership deal. The latter is now the official sportsbook and daily fantasy partner for the UFC in both the United States and Canada. The gambling brand was also named the presenting partner for the UFC Fight Clock, the new time-keeping system for the MMA company.

Details of the Deal

With the new partnership, DraftKings will now be able to provide in-game promotions as well as activations and in-broadcast odds within its betting and daily fantasy products. The deal includes providing the rights to UFC logos and marks for promotional opportunities.

Each week, DraftKings will feature free-to-play UFC games for fans of the MMA organization plus enhanced proposition betting options. Additional sports betting options will be added in the future. Before the recent UFC 259, DraftKings provided a free-to-play pool featuring DraftKings with $10,000 in total prize money.

Dana White is the President of the UFC who commented on the recent partnership stating that the action will be non-stop for UFC fans as well as DraftKings. White said the deal was the most important for the brand regarding fan engagement and customer acquisition.

CEO, executive chairman, and co-founder of DraftKings, Jason Robins, stated that the sportsbook and daily fantasy verticals of the company have seen UFC scale significantly. The option is now considered a high-demand category and DraftKings feels it will grow even further as they work on new innovations.

New Time-Keeping System

Also part of the deal is the UFC Fight Clock. This new time-keeping system is proprietary to the UFC and will be presented by DraftKings. The new clock uses the latest technology including HD screens to provide fans and fighters with accurate time-keeping during events.

The new clock is integrated into the production technology of the UFC so that everyone is seeing the same countdown clock per round. This includes everyone at the fight as well as those watching at home. At the event, the UFC Fight Clock will be displayed in four areas of the Octagon providing a view from any vantage point.

NBA Deal

The American fantasy daily sports betting operator is busy signing new deals with major sports leagues this year. Aside from working with the UFC, the company is also working with an NBA team. In late January, it was announced that the company had signed a deal with the National Basketball Association’s Charlotte Hornets. The operator is now the team’s exclusive daily fantasy sports partner.

The deal will help the sports betting company to expand its presence in North Carolina. It includes access to the franchise’s logos and trademarks. LED signage featuring the DraftKings logo will be placed courtside at the Spectrum Center and on top of backboards.