News Paramount buys UFC rights. PPV model is dead

[TankAbbott4Eva]

You pay I think $12.99 for the stream or you risk what the seas give you. I'm a cheap bastard so it won't matter to me. I just don't know how sports fans who stream multiple sports legally do it in this economy.

I know right, a few Sundays ago there was a UK boxing card, a UFC PPV and a US boxing card, would have cost me nearly $200 to watch them all if I didn't ride the river, ridiculous.

 

[RemyR]

Rest in piss ESPN+

 

[Hassan Mouzine]

B league in comparison to Netflix, Amazon etc.

in the world of streaming services perhaps. But paramount is of course old money. Movie studio that has been around for ages and now also trying to have a piece of the streaming pie. They are part of the 'big 5': disney, universal, warner bros, sony, paramount.

they are not b league or small

 

[CroCopsLHK]

I didn't say drama. I said the storyline. Or do you watch any fighter you don't know anything about? I mean fair enough if you just like seeing ppl you don't connect with fighting, that's raw passion for MMA only. But the story arc, the saga, rivalry... That's what makes fans engaged.

You have every right to be cynical about it and I am too. But theres gotta be a bright side too. In my heart all of that will still be a thing and hopefully more of. The rivalries, story building, press conferences. I hope theres a place for all of that and this works

 

[vinnie245]

Should be great for us but a HUGE question mark for the champions that will no longer receive PPV points, will they just get more in their contracts or some other alternative means...

 

[theincognito]

I love it. Paramount was Spike. Spike was by far their best broadcaster ever.

 

[LeBron]

Watching dudes bang each other out with no PPV? Sign me up.

 

[STAY GOLD]

Well it sucks because no PPV means less storytelling.

The PPV model is gone, but the numbered cards aren't gone. They'll continue to have numbered cards, but you don't have pay a premium of $85+ for it.

 

[Hassan Mouzine]

You pay I think $12.99 for the stream or you risk what the seas give you. I'm a cheap bastard so it won't matter to me. I just don't know how sports fans who stream multiple sports legally do it in this economy.

there are many illegal ways that are not only cheaper but better. Im a torrent and illegal streaming finder since day 1, it's what im used to. But I know people over here (outside of USA), that buy a small little streaming box for 100 euro (117 dollar) and pay 50 euro per year and they can watch ANYTHING. you name a tv station in the world and it is available. it has thousands and thousands of tv channels. in all qualities as well......SD/HD/FHD/4K.

it also has a search function where it will pop up all the series or movies or whatever of a multitude of streaming service.....from netflix to paramount or whatever. I was baffeled by it when i saw it. and i know several people that are using it.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Well it sucks because no PPV means less storytelling. We aren't really following a story telling, media content, podcasts, press conferences, one fighter calling the other out. Everyone's personality seems to have been rendered useless, it's like... A fantasy... Without PPV, it also means less incentive for the story between fights, sagas between fighters, rivalries, charisma from fighters. Also, less incentive to live events as well. Events / fights can be recorded and then broadcast later with ambience sound, rather than having a real moment feeling. Fights may even be just announced and streamed, like "fighters x and y are fighting in a week!" then ppl just access the streaming... And it might have been done a while ago so the UFC holds content to release them without a build up. This kinda sucks.

They'll still have numbered cards. They also own WWE who no longer have the PPV model but still have premium events that they put more effort into.

 

[CasualBot]

South Park incoming

 

[Hellowhosthat]

What does this mean for the big fighters that make most of their dough from PPV share?

I don't think PPV points even started until something like 400k buys which hardly anyone was doing anyway.

They have the TV rights money to pay out increased purses for big fighters should they want to.

 

[ShadowRun]

ESPN sucks and their app sucks more, only reasons I kept it was for UFC and Primetime for football.

 

[MindGamingMantis]

Holy shit

 

[STAY GOLD]

I don't think PPV points even started until something like 400k buys which hardly anyone was doing anyway.

They have the TV rights money to pay out increased purses for big fighters should they want to.

PPV points start at 200K buys.

 

[RockyLockridge]

"Paramount+ won't charge viewers any additional fees, effectively eliminating the PPV model." I respect them for that.

I expect even crappier events, which I won't complain about because I don't buy them anyways

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

They have the TV rights money to pay out increased purses for big fighters should they want to.

 

[milliniar]

Wonder what it means for Canada, as currently it's a flight pass early prelims, Canadian sports channel prelims and fight nights, and then PPV

 

[Hellowhosthat]

PPV points start at 200K buys.

I suspect many shows weren't even doing that these days. Everyone just pirates nowadays

 

[xentreos]

Sounds good to me. Although I do worry about the UFC putting on mediocre cards going forward,but honestly they've already been doing that