ESPN/FOX TV deal is in its final stages

[dim_]

MMAlogic posted that UFC haven't received any more offers since the Variety article was announced. Looks like a last ditch effort to get an offer from NBC. The Variety article also made it seem as though all content would be going on ESPN+. MMAlogic says content will be going on ESPN1&2 with some on ESPN+. The wide estimate of ESPN's bid $120-180 million depends on whether ESPN buys fightpass streaming rights for the US.

mmalogic 04/22/2018

Looks like the espn/fox deal is in its final stages... if nobody else steps up with a better offer soon thier deal is going to be announced soon.

In case you missed it here are the terms of the deal the UFC were negotiating a few days ago. Keep in mind mmalogic is a corporate shill, and anything he posts is meant to benefit the UFC.

mmalogic 04/18/2018

Rumor on proposed split:

espn + streaming service will essentially be fightpass for us residents.
- fightpass library
- fightpass prelims
- exclusive fight nights
- espn fight night prelims
espn national cable networks (espn 1, espn 2);
- espn fight night main cards
- ppv prelims
espn regional sports networks (previously fox sports networks before Disney bought it)
- access to ufc library of content
fox networks (fox broadcast, fs1, fs2)
- contender series
- fight nights (main card and televised prelims)
- ancillary programming (unleashed, etc)
.......
espn will be pushing every ppv with complete coverage.

who dafuq is mmalogic

278 fucking twitter followers.. :')

 

[Toco]

who dafuq is mmalogic

278 fucking twitter followers.. :')

UG guy

 

[dim_]

UG guy

with a shit website

 

[dertdent]

who dafuq is mmalogic

278 fucking twitter followers.. :')

Different dude. MMALOGIC hangs out at the underground forum, where he's been shilling for the UFC for the last 10 years.

 

[Strychnine]

So will the UFC be giving up the PPV model or are they keeping it too?

 

[dertdent]

So will the UFC be giving up the PPV model or are they keeping it too?

They are targeting a reduction to 6 ppvs a year, but jacking up the price to around $89.99.

 

[Strychnine]

They are targeting a reduction to 6 ppvs a year, but jacking up the price to around $89.99.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Don't know who the guy is... but sounds interesting if true. Not a big ESPN streaming fan...

 

[SeverianB]

prepare for more WMMA fights than ever before.
ESPN is a liberal oasis that promotes feminism at every turn. and WMMA is the biggest woman's sport other than maybe tennis

Can't wait. Last card with no female fights sucked.

Karate Hottie, the next champ in the new 105lb division. Can't wait for Max Kellerman waxing poetic about her powerful thighs 5 days a week.

 

[dertdent]

Latest update on the TV deal. Espn+ 5 fight nights, Espn cable 4 fight nights and FOX a whopping 27 fight nights. PPVs down to 6. In comparison Fightpass had 5 events, 22 events on FOX and 12 ppv in 2017. Total events up to 42 from 39 in 2017.


Post by MMALOGIC April 22nd,2018


total deal is worth an average of 370m/year.

espns deal is 150m/yr and fox’s deal is 220m/yr.

espn deal:

- espn + will essentially replace fightpass for American fans. (Fightpass library, fightpass prelims and exclusive fight nights)
- espn plus will have early prelim fights for over 40 events (currently known as fightpass prelims)
- espn + will have the ufc library (what is currently on fightpass and what is usually added to fightpass)
- espn + will have 5 exclusive fightnights a year.
- espn + will have 1 season of the contender series per year to build and develop the talent that will be showcased on the espn platforms.
- espn cable networks will carry all of the ppv prelims and will provide full coverage of all ppv’s.
- espn cable networks will air 4 fight nights a year (similar to the big fox fight nights)
- first run replay rights of the ppv’s.
- espn regional sports networks will have access to the tape library.

Fox’s deal:

- 1 season of the contender series per year to build and develop talent that will be featured on the fox sports platforms.
- around 27 fight nights and televised prelims.
- access to tape library, ancillary programming.


Ppv’s will be reduced to 6 a year. New weight classes will be added ( talk is this fall on the last season of tuf it will feature female 105lbers and crown the inaugural champ)
there wont be a roster split but key fighters will stick with the networks they were built on when they are not fighting on ppv.
If deal goes through they are planning to activate certain parts of the espn + deal this summer (contender series, early prelims, etc)

 

[dertdent]

For those wondering what ESPN+ currently offers

On Monday, the cable-sports giant announced that it will launch ESPN+ on April 12, and ESPN promises that the service, which it set to cost $4.99 per month, will be the “premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans.” ESPN+ will have studio shows, a “library of award-winning on-demand programming,” and “thousands of live sports events,” but a deeper look at the lineup reveals it to be underwhelming. It’s lacking the main thing sports fans want to watch: sports.

One MLB game every day during baseball season.
One NHL game every day during hockey season.
A “selection of exclusive main event” boxing fights, and more undercard fights.
Every out-of-market MLS game (subject to blackouts) and local-market Chicago Fire games.
College sports from these conferences: “America East, ASun, Big South, Big West, Horizon, Ivy League, MAAC, MAC, MEAC, Missouri Valley, NEC, Southern Conference, Southland, Summit League, Sun Belt, WAC, and many more.”
PGA Tour coverage including Thursday, Friday, and “some” Saturday and Sunday play.
Grand Slam tennis coverage that’s billed as a “complement” for tennis fans.
Rugby and cricket coverage.

For the out-of-market MLS junkie (or die-hard Chicago Fire fan), ESPN+ looks like a godsend. That may also be true of college sports fans who cheer on a team outside of a Power Five conference, along with America’s rugby and cricket fans. But it’s hard to see who else this service appeals to. Who is clamoring for one random MLB game per day (which MLB.TV already offers for free)? Or one random hockey game? And why wouldn’t those fans already have MLB.TV or NHL Center Ice? Who has been waiting for the complementary coverage ESPN promises for boxing, golf, and tennis?

https://www.theringer.com/sports/2018/4/2/17190026/espn-plus-streaming-service-april-12

 

[007]

who dafuq is mmalogic

 

[Thesnake101]

Gonna wait until @FrankieNYC says something.

He's the go-to guy for this kind of topic.

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

Any noise about Canada and it's Fight Night channels?

Must know

 

[nanika]

I read somewhere a few days ago part of the deal would be contender series moving to espn+. will be interesting to see who ends up covering production costs. if the deal ends up being the rumored $300mil split by ESPN/FOX I would think that they would be taking over production. Will be weird when/if UFC is essentially a ESPN product

i hope ESPN actually starts to produce instead of just paying the production budget and using the old UFC personnel. UFC production is not always great and ESPN could only make it better.

 

[FrankieNYC]

Gonna wait until @FrankieNYC says something.

He's the go-to guy for this kind of topic.

Thanks buddy
Reported last week
After MMALogic reported a different deal the week before (he said NBC/ESPN)

 

[FrankieNYC]

i hope ESPN actually starts to produce instead of just paying the production budget and using the old UFC personnel. UFC production is not always great and ESPN could only make it better.

The only reason UFC/Fox did not have a production change was due to Lorenzo.
WME are open to it
It all depends on $$$

 

[Treeloy]

Dont post mmalogic articles here. Delete thread

 

[FrankieNYC]

He post on the underground
He is the guy that posted NBC/ESPN was who was getting the TV rights two weeks ago & all that BS about split rosters


He also post a lot of stuff after it is posted here & other outlets.
This news is a week old

 

[dertdent]

Thanks buddy
Reported last week
After MMALogic reported a different deal the week before (he said NBC/ESPN)

MMAlogic is not a reporter. He/she is a mouthpiece/shill for UFC interests. So you always have question why they are posting something. The NBC/ESPN story got the negotiations moving with FOX.