UFC Becomes ExcLusive to ESPN

[D 1 Wrestler]

UFC gets a 1.5b deal for their B-events on the most legitimate sports network in the world and 3/4 of sherdog is talking shit lol

Sherdog was saying they would be lucky to get 200/year tv deal since UFC is dying

 

[FrankieNYC]

Sherdog was saying they would be lucky to get 200/year tv deal since UFC is dying

Only a few nitwits to be fair

 

[JonesBones]

A dying network with the highest subscription costs short of premiums like HBO

 

[JonesBones]

so fox did replace UFC with bowling.

IT replaced it with the WWE which is up over 170% this year. 20% in last week alone.

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

ESPN is going to die. This is like the 4th sport in a row they've massively overpaid for the TV rights to. As their subscriber rate declines. The NBA deal alone is enough to break them.

 

[Sauce Castillo]

I mean aren't ratings going down across the board for every network? People are dropping cable like flies.

Only place I heard that's actually up lately is FOX news.

 

[Raksas]

The only question I have is how effective ESPN is when it comes to blocking illegal streams because that is how I consume my mma.

 

[dim_]

Not sure if they will in that case as people like me buy BT simply for the UFC, they'd loose a major pulling factor imo.

its all under the same deal.

BT sport includes BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2 (was BT Sport Europe) and BT Sport ESPN

If you have BT Sport you have all three..

 

[dns2344]

Ive become bitter towards the UFC for many reasons so my first reaction like many is to find the negatives. But the reality is that I do like mma an want to enjoy watching the UFC again so I’m going to be optimistic and hope for a good product through this deal.

Assuming this is a multi year deal and isn’t going away, if you are hoping it fails then you really just need to stop watching because you don’t want it to get better and would prefer to have something to complain about.

 

[Internet Fairy]

WME conned ESPN

Haha, Nice one!

 

[Mondo Freaks]

Does ESPN own Sherdog?

lol no. They did use some of the fight finder tools in the past though

 

[Final Say]

ESPN overpaid grossly. But that's what networks tend to do when you need to fill programming up.

They should have consulted you before making this deal

 

[D 1 Wrestler]

They should have consulted you before making this deal

If sherdog had its way Conor would be fighting 5x a year and all fighters would make 6 figures

 

[magicmarker]

I agree with you but your A and B have been happening for many years.

I never missed a card in 20+ years. Anymore I watch a couple fights or even 1 fight a card. Sometimes. None.

Ufc 200 was Amanda fucking nunes vs miesha tate.

A landmark card.

100%

My point was that they have the financial assets and liquidity to stop that trend, but since they're not interested in spending a dime that isn't necessary, and they aren't even fight fans who want to see the matchups happen, the epidemic could become a deadly plague.

 

[ArtOfDrowning]

Meh, still gonna stream everything so who gives a fuck

 

[Zeta Reticuli]

Where will KenFlo drive his Porsche to every day now?

 

[lowlife]

Why is this bad for fans?

Fewer options are generally not a good thing.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

You'll need the extended package for fights on whatever the lower ESPN channel is iirc. Fs1 was awesome for fight nights and now we have to adjust to whatever ESPN thinks will be "better". Guess we will see?!

Agreed. I have like every channel and yet still I believe there are ESPN channels I don't get. No doubt those are the ones to which they'll.relegate UFC.

 

[tithas]

ESPN is amongst the highest in charging carriage fees for cable providers, and thus are helping to accelerate cord cutting. The viewership has dropped dramatically, having lost 13 million viewers the last six years, good luck WME.

That is why they are pushing ESPN+

 

[Northjayhawk]

Agreed. I have like every channel and yet still I believe there are ESPN channels I don't get. No doubt those are the ones to which they'll.relegate UFC.

Do you have ESPN and ESPN2? Plan on buying ESPN+ as well? Yes? Good, you're covered. If you speak Spanish, then you should make sure you have ESPN Deportes as well.

The other ESPN channels are not going to have UFC (maybe replays on ESPN Classic, but not first-run fight cards). Rather than just say that as a blanket statement, I'll list them, and I don't think I need to write one additional word to argue why the UFC wont be on them because that would be self-evident: ESPNews, ESPNU, SEC Network, Longhorn Network, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Classic, and ESPN Bases Loaded.