THQ AND ZUFFA ANNOUNCE TRANSFER OF ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP
VIDEOGAME LICENSE AGREEMENT
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. & LAS VEGAS, Nev., June 4, 2012 – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Zuffa, LLC, today announced that they have reached an agreement to transfer THQ’s exclusive, worldwide license with Zuffa to publish videogames based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship
® (UFC
®) brand to Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), effective today, in exchange for an undisclosed cash payment to THQ.
“Over the last three years, THQ has delivered best-in-class, all-encompassing experiences to MMA fans, sports enthusiasts and fighting gamers around the globe with its
UFC Undisputed™ series. We want to thank them for their stewardship of our brand," said Lorenzo Fertitta, Chairman and CEO of Zuffa. “We look forward to joining forces with EA to leverage their sports platform, and expand our brand in the video game space.”
Brian Farrell, THQ’s Chairman and CEO, commented, “We have relished our relationship with UFC over the last several years and believe that the UFC gaming brand is in great shape. THQ’s more focused strategy moving forward meant that transferring the license to EA made sense to all parties. We would like to thank UFC for their great support and partnership and wish EA all the best moving forward.”
About Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® is the world’s premier MMA organization and produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the globe. In 2012, FOX will broadcast four fights annually. In spring 2012, The Ultimate Fighter®, UFC’s signature weekly reality TV show, debuts on FX. UFC content is also distributed commercially to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 149 countries and territories, reaching a half a billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages.
UFC® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over seven million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and over 400,000 followers on Twitter. In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with more than 1.7 million followers on Twitter. On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.
Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVDs, a magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.
06-04-2012, 05:01 PM
