The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has announced a new partnership with Kindred Group-owned betting brand Unibet.
Under terms of the deal, Unibet will serve the official sportsbook and betting partner of PFL Europe in an agreement covering the UK and France.
The two-year deal has been secured ahead of the upcoming PFL Europe 1 event in Paris on Thursday 7th March.
PFL SVP of International, James Frewin, said, “The PFL is proud to partner with UNIBET, the leading sportsbook for mixed martial arts across Europe. PFL Europe and UNIBET share many synergies, and we’re excited to provide fans across the UK and France an opportunity to enjoy a premium gaming experience.”
Neil Banbury, Kindred Group Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, added, “It is always Kindred’s ambition to partner with ambitious, forward-looking sports organisations. The speed of PFL’s growth and its undoubted potential made this an easy choice from our perspective. We can’t wait to support the PFL on its evolution, and we’re counting down the days until our partnership officially begins.”
The addition of Unibet to PFL Europe’s sponsorship roster follows a series of major moves by the MMA organisation in what is seen as a challenge to the UFC’s dominance in the market.
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In January, the promotion hit the headlines when boxing influencer Jake Paul signed a multi-year agreement which saw the creation of a pay-per-view offering called ‘PFL PPV Super Fight,’ a division of the company which guarantees fighters will receive 50% of revenue from its events.
In May, the organisation announced it had reached terms with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, one of the sport’s biggest stars, in a deal that saw the Cameroonian fighter become an equity owner in and Chairman of PFL Africa.
In August, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund acquired a 20% stake in the company for $100m through SRJ Sports Investments. The deal will also see the launch of another new regional league, PFL MENA, with Saudi Arabia playing host to both Paul and Ngannou’s upcoming Super Fight Events.
In November, after months of speculation, it was announced that the PFL had acquired rival organisation Bellator, bolstering its talent roster overnight.
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