UFC Becomes ExcLusive to ESPN

[MMA4Life]

At the very least more ESPN highlights on Sportscenter, more exposure in the US. I have like 5 ESPN channels right now but my only concern is that they will put it on the back burner if other live sporting events are on and people will get left out. But FS1 did that with FS2 so that was already happening. I don’t know if this will make it harder to get rid of cable which is something I’ve been looking at doing(seem to use Hulu, Netflix and amazon prime way more than cable)

 

[tithas]

We don't know what the Fox offer entailed
If it entail;ed 20 events, then the deal amount is skewed.

WME always wanted one partner & if they got $300m they would take it (as I said)
so they got it.

True I didn't count the events.

 

[chuckleknuckle]

But the other 5% have had some great convo regarding things like this.

That's impressive, as big business is god damn complicated. I used to manage a smallish pharmacy business that turned over £25 million and the structure was convoluted as fuck. By the time the money left my p&l it looked different as fuck to what was declared by the owners when i checked on companies House!

Fuck managing $4-5 billion.

In my own business, I make 6 figures net profit and keep it simple as fuck or my brain would melt.

 

[FrankieNYC]

That's impressive, as big business is god damn complicated. I used to manage a smallish pharmacy business that turned over £25 million and the structure was convoluted as fuck. By the time the money left my p&l it looked different as fuck to what was declared by the owners when i checked on companies House!

Fuck managing $4-5 billion.

In my own business, I make 6 figures net profit and keep it simple as fuck or my brain would melt.

It is fascinating to follow
Since I started following the business side, it changed drastically in a few years.

 

[dim_]

How does this effect UK viewers, is it still on BT sport?

BT sport own espn in the UK.

It may move to BT sport espn just to look consistent I guess

 

[SoberAwakening]

This actually might not be a bad thing for ESPN or the UFC. Disney owns ESPN and Disney turns crappy situations into winners. They own so many other stations and companies, it's ridiculous. That's why you'll see a commercial for Modern Family in the middle of NBA game on ESPN or a trailer for a exclusive sneak peek to a Marvel movie on ABC.

 

[theincognito]

Made sense to me.

You compared Smackdown to be the equivalent of Fox cards AND FS 1 cards.

What are you even saying? That Fox cards (which there are only 4 of per year) should be counted as the Smackdown equivalent and FS1 cards are more like a 'C show'?

There can be no perfect comparison made but here's the only way it can make sense:

PPVs are the UFC's RAW & PPV equivalent (A Show)
All TV cards are their Smackdown equivalent (B Show)

 

[dim_]

I don't know much about sports channels but in the UK are ESPN and BT Sport affiliated? Sure I've spotted an ESPN BT channel

I may be wrong

BT sport own espn in UK and Ireland. They bought the company which was independent to the US company. So they own the espn brand here.

They then have a content agreement with espn (us) which runs till like 2022 where they pay x amount and in return they can use like 5000 hours per year of espn programming

http://sport.bt.com/sport-football/news/bt-sport-and-espn-extend-deal-S11363956012885

 

[SoberAwakening]

Steven A. smith gets a lot of agitated, but I like him. One of the few sports commentators (and just about the only black one) willing to call out the BS regarding Kaepernick.

Ugh...you're one of those people. If you like Smith then you'll love Jason Whitlock on FS1.

 

[magicmarker]

I said the month of the sale that nobody that bought UFC (WME are not even 50% as of 9/17) are in it for MMA.
They saw a way to own a company that was set up by the previous regime to make money, but they also saw a way to streamline it & turn it into a company that is more about content providing than MMA promotion.
I say these things all the time & pretty much everything i said at the time of the sale was proven correct.
UFC as currently proven is an ATM & in 2.5 years will have gone up 50% in value!

I'm still not sold on the long term future of the UFC, but WME will definitely get theirs before the ship sinks (if it does).

 

[Post 2 Decision]

How do you get ESPN if you don't live in America?

TV stations in countries outside of America have their own rights.

I'm in Canada and TSN has had the rights here for a few years now already (Canadian affiliate of ESPN). Maybe for about 3 years now? Before that, Sportsnet had the rights on Canada

 

[FrankieNYC]

I'm still not sold on the long term future of the UFC, but WME will definitely get theirs before the ship sinks (if it does).

Here are my thoughts
If handled correctly, MMA interest can plateau & UFC still be a very strong business.

UFC does not need to get more popular to be a solid business.

If they stay at this level, they already showed what a great deal it was to buy UFC.

If they go public, the money will be insane.

 

[FrankieNYC]

per sports business journal.

Shocked that they are doing 12 PPV still
Bad move IMO

Hopefully the info is wrong

 

[FrankieNYC]

We are supposedly getting the official info from ESPN/UFC today

 

[Literally Bricked]

It's 1.5 over 5 years so 300 million a year

Any confirmation on that? That 1.5 could be broken down a lot of different ways.

 

[Bubba32]

I'm still not sold on the long term future of the UFC, but WME will definitely get theirs before the ship sinks (if it does).

with espn now behind the UFC i doubt its going to sink anytime soon. The value will probably be alot higher in 5 years.

 

[FrankieNYC]

Any confirmation on that? That 1.5 could be broken down a lot of different ways.

The $300m is the average per
99% chance it escalates every year like the last Fox deal

 

[Literally Bricked]

The $300m is the average per
99% chance it escalates every year like the last Fox deal

That is what I was thinking, which is why I was interested in confirmation on his statement.

 

[FrankieNYC]

That is what I was thinking, which is why I was interested in confirmation on his statement.

The last 7 year Fox deal begin at under $100m & ended at $160m

 

[ineverpost]

Conor coming back to save ESPN