ESPN: Still 12 PPV's a Year, Only 10 Fights a year on ESPN Cable

[IcemanFan75]

I guess it's nice that you can choose to subscribe for $5 if there's a good card on ESPN+, then unsubscribe the next month if the card is crap. Still not too excited though, because I feel like the free and event ESPN+ cards will be watered down and lame. Only the PPVs will be decent to good cards, and I am not shelling out $60 for a PPV. If they were $20 or less I would...

 

[dim_]

so the ufc will still be dying

more watered down cards for espn+
less viewers outside the us

what makes you think less viewers outside the us?

you think the ESPN+ cards wont be shown in the rest fo the world where ESPN+ isnt avialable?> of course they will be...

Its already been stated that the ESPN+ cards UFC are free to sell outside of the US. They will either be on Fightpass making that a must for ROW fans, or on the regular tv

For UK fans this is great news, because those 20 ESPN+ shows will almost definiately be shown on either FP or BT and will be free from fox pacing, filler shit and hours of commercials which makes watching UFC at 3am unbearable

I actuallytthink ROW, especially UK is the big winner here.

 

[skylolow]

I think 12 PPV's is a massive mistake.

Writing is on the on the wall that fans aren't paying for a PPV just because its UFC anymore. They have been educated and only cherry picking events they want to see. Maybe they are banking on ESPN bringing in a new wave of fans that might support PPV more, but I think you'd have to be living under a rock to not know about the UFC and what it is. UFC has proving in the last year or two they have hard time putting out more than about 6 or 7 quality PPV events a year.

 

[Dark One]

This seems way better. It means only 12 $60 PPVs. Most of the events will be on a $5 a month steaming service which is half the cost of fight pass. If you're a fan of other sports it probably includes a lot of other content too.

 

[FlyingDeathKick]

I wonder what that means for Canadians.

 

[blaseblah]

Are the 10 main cards also going to be on ESPN+?

 

[Rebel_LioN]

http://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/23581729/espn-ufc-reach-five-year-television-rights-deal

The deal consists of 30 UFC Fight Night events per year, including 10 main cards on ESPN's television networks. The other 20 will stream on ESPN+, the company's newly launched streaming service.

Additionally, ESPN networks will air preliminary bouts prior to 12 pay-per-view events in 2019.

Initially I thought most of the 30 fight cards were going to be on ESPN channels and PPV would decline and we would get better events on cable. Looks like most UFC events are going behind the ESPN+ curtain. This is probably the end of me being a UFC super fan. I'm going to give PFL a good try though as most of their content won't be behind any paywall.

How many fight cards total did we have this year or last year compared to this ESPN deal?

More or less?

 

[Dsingleton7]

This seems way better. It means only 12 $60 PPVs. Most of the events will be on a $5 a month steaming service which is half the cost of fight pass. If you're a fan of other sports it probably includes a lot of other content too.

I live in a remote area with slow limited internet. My streaming experience is terrible and ESPN+ might as well be useless to me to watch events live.

 

[Organic Damage]

Well it looks like I'm an ESPN+ guy now. The UFC deal, combined with their boxing deals, have made ESPN+ quite attractive for combat sports fans.

Maybe if you're in the US.

IIRC ESPN+ is only available within the United States. I just cut the cord so there's no way I'm buying back into that charade to get the ESPN stuff through TSN.

 

[SleepyBoy]

ESPN+ can suck my culo chica

 

[octagon888]

I wish they would drop it to 6 PPVs but I'm liking the deal. I have no problem with 4.99 a month for 30 shows. Basically everything but PPV.

This math makes this reasonable for me to finally pay for something ufc related....like not even a t shirt or hot dog brander have i bought.

 

[TheShockmaster]

So basically the Fight Pass shows are moving to ESPN + in the U.S. What does only 10 shows on ESPN cable mean? Where are the others? Is ESPN not a cable channel? (UK fan, no clue on American TV)

 

[CrimsonFan]

So for 5 bucks i get all the ufc shows and extra sports content?

Cool. Im down

 

[CrimsonFan]

So basically the Fight Pass shows are moving to ESPN + in the U.S. What does only 10 shows on ESPN cable mean? Where are the others? Is ESPN not a cable channel? (UK fan, no clue on American TV)

Only 10 shows will be on espn.

Yeah its a cable channel, but one just about every sports fan in america has.

There will be 20 shows available only on espn streaming.

Which imo will be seen by very few people. I expect the ufc really aims to make the televised cards shine. Make the 20 espn streaming cards the proving grounds. That would be dope.




Basically there will be a ppv or a care on tv every 2 weeks


And the other weekends will have streaming on espn only cards. Thats alot of cards.

 

[TheShockmaster]

Honestly as a boxing and MMA fan, Americans have it pretty sweet at the moment with Eddie Hearns new deal that DAZN getting a shit load of boxing coming and ESPN/ ESPN+ for Golden Boy and UFC. Only shafting is the amount Americans are charged for PPV, but fuck buying PPV just go Buffalo Wild Wings.

 

[Strychnine]

This leaves the door wide open for Bellator and PFL. I hope they can take advantage.

 

[CrimsonFan]

Honestly as a boxing and MMA fan, Americans have it pretty sweet at the moment with Eddie Hearns new deal that DAZN getting a shit load of boxing coming and ESPN/ ESPN+ for Golden Boy and UFC. Only shafting is the amount Americans are charged for PPV, but fuck buying PPV just go Buffalo Wild Wings.

Dude sports bars arent even showing ufc cards

Its gotta be a big ppv for Buffalo Wild Wings to air.

 

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

As a guy who doesn't have cable tv, I'm ok with paying $5 a month to get 20 UFC events a year.

 

[TheIrishPsycho]

Is UFC still gonna be doing the production?

I'd like to know this too

 

[theincognito]

Hopefully the main ESPN cards are akin to the old Spike TV UFC Fight Night levels and the ESPN+ cards feature mostly up and comers and international cards whereas PPVs feature contenders and championship fights

Hopefully it's not random where fighters hop around all over the place as has been the case lately