IMG and Combate Global Announce Worldwide Media Rights Agreement

IMG, a global leader in sports, events and media, today announced a multi-year partnership to manage and distribute Combate Global’s worldwide media rights, excluding the U.S. Combate Global is the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, known for underscoring its fighters’ nationalities, and matching fighters from different countries against one another. This emphasis on country versus country competition helped Combate Global expand its programming partnerships in 2022 to media platforms in Spain, France and Portugal, respectively. Since its inception in 2013, the U.S.-based franchise has produced over 110 live television events and 2 different reality television series that collectively amount to well over 350 hours of programming. Combate Global’s series on Univision is the highest-rated Spanish language show on late-night television in the U.S., delivering 1.5 billion total minutes viewed in 2021. “I am very glad to have IMG in Combate Global’s corner and be included on their prestigious roster of world-class properties,” said Combate Global CEO, Campbell McLaren. Guillermo Santa-Cruz, VP Media, Latin America & US Hispanic at IMG, said: “Combate Global is a fast-growing franchise with global commercial potential. Leveraging IMG’s vast media expertise and experience, we’re looking forward to bringing the sport to new international audiences around the world.” In 2021, TelevisaUnivision purchased a significant equity stake in Combate Global, a deal that resulted in a new programming partnership calling for 30 live television events annually over the course of a five-year period. IMG manages the international media rights for some of the world’s biggest sports properties including UFC, Queensberry Promotions, The Championships (Wimbledon), the R&A, the FA Cup, ATP Tour, US Open, DP World Tour, the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.