Beer brand Bud Light, which was involved in a fiasco earlier this year over its partnership with a transgender influencer, is once again in hot water for its partnership with mixed martial arts (MMA) organization Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
The UFC and AB InBev, the parent company of Bud Light's brewer Anheuser-Busch, have entered into a multi-year marketing agreement. St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch said in a statement that the partnership will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024 – with Bud Light becoming the "Official Beer Partner of UFC." Promotional material for Bud Light will be plastered on broadcasts, signage across arenas, fight-week activities, social media channels, weigh-ins, press conferences and more.
"Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light were UFC's original beer sponsors more than 15 years [ago]," UFC CEO Dana White said in a press release. "I'm proud to announce we are back in business together."
OutKick founder Clay Travis pointed out that Bud Light spent $100 million on the sponsorship, which ZeroHedge described as "the biggest one yet" entered by White. The deal, Travis noted, sought to "try and cancel out the 'chicks with dicks' ad" – referencing Bud Light's earlier disastrous campaign involving transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
"No one is drinking Bud Light at any tailgate I've been to this fall," the OutKick founder stated, concluding that the Bud Light brand is "dead." Prior to this partnership, UFC had partnered with Mexican beer brand Modelo – which overtook Bud Light in sales following the aftermath of the Mulvaney campaign. (Related: Bud Light sales plunge further, about to lose status as world’s number-one beer to Mexican competitor.)
But not everyone received the news warmly. Several users took to social media to express their disappointment with the MMA organization.
"I thought this was a joke. I guess the UFC will do anything to grow, but I won't be a part of it," said user @shouldertostone on the X platform. "What a shame it will bring fans away from the sport."
User Brad Morgan quipped sarcastically: "Will Dylan be the ring girl?"
White DOUBLES DOWN on Bud Light partnership
Other users had stronger words for White and the UFC. User @MuensterrJohann described the UFC head as a "woke globalist."
Another user minced no words and addressed both White and the organization directly. "You have become the reason why your audience will begin to dwindle," said @TheRealMattDail on X. "Pandering to Bud Light is disgusting. Guess it's time to boycott UFC, America."
Despite the strong rebuke White and the UFC received over its partnership with Bud Light, the head of the MMA organization defended the deal during an appearance on the Fox News program "Hannity."
"They were the first beer company that we really did business with," White told program host Sean Hannity while pertaining to Bud Light. "They were our first real big sponsor when we were getting started, and now we're back with them."
"Going onto this deal, I know all the controversy and everything else. But for myself going into a long-term deal with another sponsor, I want to be [with] somebody that I'm actually aligned with. I know people were upset with what they did, but I'm looking at all the good things that they do."
White then outlined these "good things" done by Bud Light. He cited how its brewer Anheuser-Busch employs 65,000 Americans, with thousands of veterans included in this number. The company also spends $700 million annually to buy the produce of American farmers as ingredients for their products.
Moreover, White lauded Anheuser-Busch for its support of the nonprofit Folds of Honor. The group provides scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled military and first responders. Anheuser-Busch has reportedly donated $45 million to Folds of Honor toward this purpose.
"[There are] many, many other great things that Anheuser-Busch has done in the country, and those are the things that I'm focused on," White said.
Visit Wokies.news for more stories about Bud Light and the fallout of its disastrous partnership with Dylan Mulvaney.
Watch this clip from Next News Network about Bud Light losing the title of No. 1 beer in the United States.
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