Ford Shifts Into First MMA Sponsorship Deal

March 11, 2009: Ford said it has signed a deal to become the exclusive automotive partner in the premiere season of Bellator Fighting Championships, a 12-episode mixed martial arts series that will air on ESPN Deportes. The deal is Ford's first national alliance in the MMA category. Financial terms were not disclosed. Bellator Fighting Championships, which is largely composed of Hispanic MMA fighters and targets an Hispanic audience, will air for two hours on Saturday nights beginning April 4. As part of the agreement, Ford will run ads during ESPN Deportes’ coverage of the event and will sponsor a SportsCenter segment, “Serie de Campeones Highlight,” that will provide daily updates. Support includes online and mobile components via a microsite at ESPNdeportes.com. “Bellator’s unprecedented access to Latino MMA fans makes them an invaluable partner for Ford, since the innovativeness of our products mirrors each other,” Dave Rodriguez, manager of multicultural marketing at Ford, said in a statement. “We are also thrilled to be working with ESPN Deportes to reach Hispanic sports fans via the brand’s multimedia touch points.” Back to Home Page