Global mixed martial arts organisation UFC has agreed a multi-year partnership with immersive technology, media, and entertainment company Cosm.
The partnership will aim to deliver a new way to experience the UFC events from around the globe by producing and presenting live UFC Pay-Per-View (PPV) events in immersive 8K at its forthcoming venues.
UFC and Cosm will deliver live UFC PPV events in ‘Shared Reality,’ a new type of immersive experience that bridges the virtual and physical worlds without the need for headsets or augmented devices.
Cosm will utilise immersive LED-dome displays and CX System software, delivering an arena-like atmosphere. UFC claims this will be achieved by merging ‘the energy of the crowd, elevated food and beverage service, specialized merchandise, and state-of-the-art visuals to make guests feel like they are Octagon-side for the main event.’
Cosm’s first venue is set to open in early 2024.
Jeb Terry, CEO and President at Cosm, said, “Cosm is bringing fans an entirely new category of entertainment,” said “The UFC shares the same passion for innovation and elevating the fan experience as we do, and the organization and their leadership immediately recognized the opportunity at hand. We are thrilled to partner with them to give fans a first-of-its-kind immersive experience for UFC fights around the world.
“This kind of shared viewing experience does not exist anywhere else on the planet, and we are proud to introduce this new era of live entertainment in collaboration with UFC. True to form, UFC is always pushing boundaries and will be an anchor of our live sports programming, serving as our second major league relationship, with many more to come soon.”
Craig Borsari, Chief Content Officer and Executive Producer at UFC, added, “UFC events are among the most thrilling in all of sports, and we’re excited to partner with Cosm to share the incredible UFC live event experience with more of our fans.
“At UFC, we’re always looking for new ways to create deeper engagement with our fans, and Cosm has presented this great opportunity to do that with our biggest events using this unique and immersive viewing technology. It’s going to elevate the UFC live experience for our fans who watch beyond the arena.”
The deal is Cosm’s second agreement with a major rightsholder this year, after signing a similar deal with the NBA.
