PFL TO GROW SPORT OF MMA IN MIDDLE EAST
PFL MENA LEAGUE SET TO LAUNCH IN 2024
NEW YORK (June 8, 2023) - The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced that Adam Laitsas has been appointed Executive Vice President, International Strategy and Business Operations for the MENA region reporting to PFL CEO Peter Murray. Laitsas will oversee PFL expansion plans and growing the sport of MMA throughout the Middle East including the 2024 launch of the PFL’s second international expansion league, PFL MENA, staging global PFL PPV Super Fight events and developing regional athletes into future PFL MMA World Champions.
PFL is pioneering a transformative period of growth for the sport on a global scale as it creates the Champions League of MMA. Building on the successful launch of PFL Europe earlier this year in partnership with DAZN, PFL will operate six regional international leagues over the next three years with PFL MENA set to launch in 2024. This disruptive model provides top fighters from around the world the opportunity to earn their way through the PFL’s sport season format to become regional champions and a pathway to the PFL’s Global Season platform.
Laitsas joins PFL after serving as SVP of Marketing Strategy for Madison Square Garden Sports where he led brand strategy and marketing operations for some of the most globally recognized teams in professional sports, including the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. Previously, he served as Senior Director, Head of North America Basketball Business at Adidas. Prior to that, Laitsas was a Senior Management Consultant at Kearney, based in their London office, where he worked with clients across Europe and the Middle East. Earlier in his career, Laitsas held investment banking roles at Loop Capital Markets and UBS. Laitsas earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and undergraduate degree at St. John’s University where he was a member of the school’s men’s basketball team.
“We welcome Adam Laitsas as EVP Strategy and Business Operations for MENA and look forward to him leading the development of the sport of MMA in the Middle East and launching PFL MENA in 2024 following our successful debut of PFL Europe as we further develop the Champions League of MMA” said PFL Peter Murray CEO PFL.
“I’m excited to join the PFL executive team to lead international growth in the MENA region,” Laitsas said. “There is no bigger opportunity to grow MMA, develop world class fighters, build strategic partnerships and establish a new regional league than in the Middle East.”
PFL is the #1 fastest growing global sports league and the #2 MMA company worldwide on all metrics. PFL is the only company in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in sports-season “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports. The PFL fighter roster is global and world-class, with fighters from over 20 countries and 25% independently ranked in the top 25. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience. PFL airs live in the U.S. on ESPN and ESPN+ and in 140 countries via 25 leading broadcast and streaming partners.
About Professional Fighters League
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is the fastest growing and most innovative sports league. PFL is the #2 MMA company worldwide on all key metrics and the only with the sports-season format where individual fighters compete in Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship. The Company has four global live fight franchises: PFL League Season, PFL Challenger Series, PFL PPV Super Fights, and PFL Europe.
PFL airs in the U.S on ESPN and ESPN+ and is broadcast and streamed to 140 countries with 25 international leading media partners, including DAZN, DirectTV, Viaplay, Sky Sports, and MBC. PFL has dozens of major brand sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, GEICO, Bose, US Marine Corps, and Celsius Energy Drink.
PFL is backed by blue-chip investors including Ares, Luxor Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Knighthead, Legends, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners.
MMA is the growth sport of this decade, with over 600 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demo of any sport, and true global revenue streams.
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