The Marine Corps' sponsorship contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship expired on November 30, and the Marines have chosen not to renew that contract, according to the Stars and Stripes.
The Marines had used their relationship with the UFC as a recruitment tool.
Marine Corps Recruiting Command spokesman Maj. John Caldwell told the Stars and Stripes:
“Due to evolving mission requirements, budgetary constraints, marketing analysis and the recommendation of our contracted advertising agency, resources previously allocated to the endeavor have been applied to alternate priorities."
As Home Post reported last summer, UnfitForTheCorps.com - the Veterans Committee of Unite Here - urged the Corps to stop sponsoring the UFC. They called the UFC sexist, racist, and homophobic:
The U.S. Marine Corps has spent more than $2 million promoting the UFC through commercials during televised cage fighting events, online videos and other promotional advertising. Taxpayer money should not be used to support homophobia, misogyny and hate speech, in any form.
To illustrate their point, UnfitForTheCorps.com made a video clip montage of alleged homophobic statements and sexist behavior by UFC fighters. A warning: you might find the language and behavior in the video (posted up top) offensive.
