Digital Fight Club

What Digital Fight Club does

Digital Fight Club (DFC) is a Dallas, Texas-based event production company founded in 2016 that organizes live, debate-style events for senior executives in marketing, advertising, and cybersecurity. Each event pits two experts against each other in opposing arguments on contentious industry topics before a peer audience of 500 or more senior executives, with industry referees (including Mark Cuban) and audience voting determining winners. The format explicitly rejects traditional conference panels in favor of structured, time-limited, refereed debate. The company has produced more than 25 events across Dallas, Houston, Boston, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Florida, Miami Beach, and Cannes, France, operating three event verticals: DFC: Marketing (agency/CMO debates), DFC: Cyber (cybersecurity debates featuring VARs, MSSPs, and CISOs), and broader technology debates hosted at startup weeks.

DFC's products are event-based with minimal proprietary technology — the only internal tool is a Digital Fight Club App used for audience voting during live events. Events are hosted at premium venues including the Granada Theater in Dallas, the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, and Empower Cafe at Cannes LIONS, increasingly co-located with major industry conferences (POSSIBLE, Cannes LIONS, Dallas Startup Week, Innovate Celebrate). All fights are recorded and published on the company's YouTube channel as evergreen content.

DFC monetizes through tiered ticket "blocks" sold to participating agencies (Entry $500 to Premium $2,000), vendor sponsorship packages (Ad Tech Vendor blocks at $5,000), and VAR/MSSP blocks for cyber events ($500-$1,000). Corporate CMOs, CISOs, and equivalent-level executives attend free under qualification criteria, creating a curated, high-value audience that agencies and vendors pay to access. The company is an independent, privately held Texas LLC with no disclosed institutional funding, led by founder Michael Pratt (also CEO of Panamplify), Head of Marketing Logan Speights (also CEO at TripleEights and Co-founder of Proxxy), and General Counsel Kevin Vela (Managing Partner at Vela Wood).

Name

Digital Fight Club

Legal name

Digital Fight Club LLC

Website

https://digitalfightclub.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Digital Fight Club is a Dallas-based event production company that organizes live, refereed debate-format events for senior marketing, agency, and cybersecurity executives, monetizing through tiered agency ticket blocks and vendor sponsorships across US and international venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Event Production Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Debate Tournament & League Organizers (EDAMAOAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Awards Ceremonies & Competitions (Judging, Voting) (MPAGAOAN)

Keywords

• Live debate events
• Marketing industry events
• Cybersecurity industry events
• Executive networking events
• Conference sponsorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Agency Event Blocks: DFC sells tiered 'blocks' to advertising and marketing agencies that want to participate in events. Blocks include GA tickets, VIP tickets, and access to the VIP reception. Agency blocks range from $500 (Entry level with 2 GA tickets) to $2,000 (Premium level with 2 VIP tickets and 8 GA tickets). No 'pay for play' speaking roles - agency participation is separate from speaking fighter slots.
2. Vendor Sponsorship: Ad tech vendors and cybersecurity vendors can purchase sponsorship packages. Vendor pricing varies by event, ranging from $5,000 for Ad Tech Vendor blocks (2 VIP tickets, 5 GA tickets, branded Fight Card on stage) to smaller bar/food/video package options. Sponsors receive visibility through fight corner sponsorship, branded materials, and exhibit opportunities.
3. Corporate/Brand Attendance: Corporate CMOs, CISOs, and their teams attend for free provided they meet qualification criteria (must be agency users or VAR users, equivalent-level executives must attend personally). This creates a high-value audience for participating agencies and vendors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Digital Fight Club organizes live, invite- and application-based debate events in which two subject-matter experts argue opposing positions on contentious marketing, technology, or cybersecurity topics in a boxing-ring style format moderated by industry referees, with audience voting determining winners. The company sells tiered participation "blocks" and sponsorship packages to agencies and vendors, while qualifying corporate CMOs and CISOs attend free to anchor a senior-executive audience of roughly 500 per event. Events are produced both as standalone productions and as co-located programming with major industry conferences such as POSSIBLE and Cannes LIONS.

Product overview

Digital Fight Club is an event-based company that organizes debate-style events where technology, marketing, and cybersecurity experts debate contentious industry topics. The core product is the Digital Fight Club event format, which features structured debates with opening arguments, rebuttal rounds, and referee questions followed by audience voting. The company operates multiple event verticals including DFC: Cyber (cybersecurity-focused debates) and DFC: Marketing (marketing-focused debates). Events are held at various venues including the Granada Theater in Dallas and at major industry conferences like Cannes Lions and POSSIBLE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Fight Club Events Recurring live debate-style events in which two experts argue opposing positions on marketing, technology, or cybersecurity topics in a boxing-ring style format moderated by industry referees and resolved by audience voting; events are staged at prestige venues and attract roughly 500 senior executives per event.
• DFC: Marketing Marketing-focused live debate events pitting agency executives against each other on topics selected by brand CMOs, with audience and referee voting and tiered agency participation blocks priced from $500 to $2,000.
• DFC: Cyber Cybersecurity-focused live debate events featuring VAR and MSSP executives debating in front of CISOs and CIOs on topics chosen by corporate cyber leaders, with tiered VAR/MSSP participation blocks priced from $500 to $1,000.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ senior executives attend each event
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Propeller GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026Propeller Group is a strategic partner for DFC's Cannes LIONS event. They co-host the Empower Cafe venue (next to Amazon Port) for the DFC Marketing at Cannes LIONS event on June 22, 2026. The partnership provides venue and promotion for DFC's international expansion.
• POSSIBLE ConferencecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 April 2026DFC serves as a featured event at the POSSIBLE marketing conference in Miami Beach, FL (April 28, 2026). The Fontainebleau Inspiration Stage hosts DFC Marketing POSSIBLE 2026 with 1,000 expected attendees. This partnership positions DFC at one of North America's major marketing conferences.
• Dallas Startup WeekcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 August 2022DFC serves as a featured event of Dallas Startup Week 2022, held at the Granada Theater. The partnership provides DFC access to the Dallas startup ecosystem audience and validates DFC's position in the technology community.
• AccentureminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 August 2022Accenture served as an Anchor Sponsor for DFC Dallas Startup Week 2022. Accenture also appears as a recurring partner through Accenture Interactive personnel participating as referees and through Accenture's Trends Book being used as a source for debate topics.
• SVB (Silicon Valley Bank)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 August 2022SVB sponsored Fight #1 at DFC Dallas Startup Week 2022. Sponsorship provided brand visibility and access to the DFC executive audience.
• Simpli.fiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 August 2022Simpli.fi sponsored Fight #2 at DFC Dallas Startup Week 2022.
• Medium GiantminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 August 2022Medium Giant sponsored Fight #3 at DFC Dallas Startup Week 2022.
• AltruasminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 August 2022Altruas sponsored Fight #4 at DFC Dallas Startup Week 2022.
• ImprovingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 August 2022Improving sponsored Fight #5 (Cybersecurity) at DFC Dallas Startup Week 2022.
• Houston ExponentialminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2021Houston Exponential partnered with DFC for Houston 2021 events, providing support for the Houston startup and innovation community.
• The IonminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2021The Ion innovation hub in Houston partnered with DFC for the Houston 2021 event, providing venue and community support.
• Innovate Celebrate (CTA)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 October 2018DFC Boston 2018 was held as part of the Consumer Technology Association's Innovate Celebrate conference. The partnership provided venue, audience, and cross-promotion with the CTA's technology community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Web Summit: Global technology and startup conference with multiple tracks including marketing and security-adjacent content. Comparable as a large-scale, sponsor-driven, multi-vertical event platform that overlaps with DFC's target attendee base.
• The MMA (Mobile Marketing Association) Forum: Industry association and conference series for marketing and ad-tech professionals. Comparable because it convenes brands, agencies, and vendors in a curated event setting, though with a narrower focus on mobile and ad tech.
• Adweek: Major marketing industry media and events company that runs conferences and awards for CMOs and agencies. Comparable as a content-plus-events platform serving the same audience DFC targets, but at much greater scale and broader scope.
• POSSIBLE Conference: Major North American marketing conference (hosted at Fontainebleau Miami Beach) where DFC runs a featured event. Comparable as a conference serving the CMO/agency community; DFC operates as an embedded activation within POSSIBLE.
• Cannes LIONS (Festival of Creativity): The flagship global marketing awards and conference festival where DFC now hosts events. Comparable because it convenes the same CMO and agency executive audience, but operates as an established institution rather than a debate-format challenger.
• HubSpot INBOUND: Large marketing and sales conference attracting CMOs, agency partners, and tech vendors. Comparable as a marketing-industry event platform monetized through sponsorships and attendee engagement, but at vastly larger scale.

Direct peers

• SINET (Security Innovation Network): Cybersecurity community organization that runs invitation-only events connecting CISOs, security vendors, and investors. Highly comparable to DFC's Cyber vertical in audience, format style, and sponsorship model.
• Brand Innovators: Events company that hosts summits and content for senior brand marketers, often co-located with major conferences including Cannes. Comparable because it curates the same CMO/agency audience through small-format, high-quality gatherings and sponsorship-driven revenue.

Regional players

• Dallas Startup Week: Regional startup and technology conference where DFC has hosted featured events since 2022. Comparable as a co-host partner and audience-overlap channel, but operating as a broader startup-ecosystem event rather than a curated executive debate.

Emerging players

• CyberHive: Boutique cybersecurity event organizer hosting curated CISO gatherings and debates. Comparable as a smaller-scale, debate/panel-driven cyber event series competing for the same sponsor and speaker ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/DigitalFightClb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaKKC-h5Y3_1J2nM9Jh1MAQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/digitalfightclb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Digital Fight Club