Rumored UFC Heading To NETFLIX - Leaving ESPN

[Alpha_T83]

The PPV model is pretty much dead. It doesnt even exist in other countries.

Back in the stone age of MMA, I used to buy every card but back then, it cost $29.95. Then they had the Tito vs Randy match at UFC 44 and raised the price as a "one time thing" to $39.99 and the price never went back down and I haven't bought a PPV since.

Now the product is kind of watered down and definitely not what theyre trying to charge people. Something like Neflix is long overdue.

The watered down part gets me.

There's just such a huge problem getting top 5 fighters to be active and fight up and coming contenders, rather than sitting out and waiting for a title shot. And because fighters make more money, they can afford to pull out of fights with minor injuries. It's crazy the number of fights that get cancelled these days due to injury.

 

[FreedomCricket]

I only have ESPN+ for NHL and UFC. But at least I cam cancel for part of the year when the NHL season is over.

Hopefully the PPV cost comes down a bit but if UFC is signing for a bag, it probably won't.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

I only have ESPN+ for NHL and UFC. But at least I cam cancel for part of the year when the NHL season is over.

Hopefully the PPV cost comes down a bit but if UFC is signing for a bag, it probably won't.

ESPN+ in Argentina covers all UFC cards, PPVs or not. You can also re watch them.

Hopefully they do the same with Netflix or keep ESPN+ at least here. It is the only reason I actually have Disney+ with ESPN.

 

[Dr Fong]

Not TKO the UFC.
And Nick Khan is a legitimate billionaire. Even if he wasn't president of the WWE he'd still sit on the board. He's a major share holder in TKO. That's why he's on the board.

You somehow get 7% of TKO and I promise you can sit on the board if you wanted.

And you're a random guy on the internet saying "trust me bro." If you wanted to educate me you could've linked sources so I could see and read or listen to them myself and not just that the word of someone I can't apart from a can of paint.

There is no evidence whatsoever that Nick Khan is a billionaire. I think you have confused him with Tony Khan, the owner of rival wrestling company AEW whose wealth comes from his father.

Nick Khan has a 0.02% share of TKO according to wrestlenomics - not 7%. That is not a 'major shareholder' under any definition.

You seem confused about some basic things and now quite upset for no apparent reason.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

There is no evidence whatsoever that Nick Khan is a billionaire. I think you have confused him with Tony Khan, the owner of rival wrestling company AEW whose wealth comes from his father.

Nick Khan has a 0.02% share of TKO according to wrestlenomics - not 7%. That is not a 'major shareholder' under any definition.

You seem confused about some basic things and now quite upset for no apparent reason.

Yeah I did mistake him for Tony Khan. That's my bad. Both last name Khan and into professional wrestling.

I'm not upset. I'm just not fond of that "trust bro" reasoning.
You keep saying what DW doesn't do but not once have said what you think he does. That's not constructive.

 

[evergreenrider]

ESPN Will Reportedly Spend $2 Billion To Buy The NFL Network, NFL RedZone, & NFL+ | Cord Cutters News

Negotiations between ESPN and the NFL over the potential acquisition of NFL Media are gaining steam, with fresh details emerging that suggest a blockbuster deal could be on the horizon. As reported by The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand on his Marchand Sports Media podcast this week, ESPN might shell...

cordcuttersnews.com

Highly doubt they(ufc) are staying with ESPN now.

 

[Söze Aldo]

ESPN is definitely not looking to renew the UFC deal after spending all this now

 

[Senbonzakura]

The problem will be netflix raises their monthly sub if UFC signs.

PPV's stay the same price me thinks.
I hope they trim the roster 50% and build a mini series that focuses on gyms and highlights fighters that have potential to build a name for themselves. It could really get us invested in teams more like the Fighting Nerds that are on fire right now. There is untapped potential that UFC could find with Netflix if they stop phoning it in like they have with ESPN

 

[rjmbrd]

The problem will be netflix raises their monthly sub if UFC signs.

Netflix raises its price no matter what.

2014: $2/month increase
2015: $1/month increase
2017: $1/month increase
2019: $2/month increase
2020: $1/month increase
2022: $1.50/month increase
2023: multiple increases (basic/premium)

They launched their low priced ad supported tier in 2022 and its printing money. They doubled their ad revenue in 2024 and expect to double it again in 2025.

Their content budget for 2026 is 18 billion. They can easily afford billion/year deal for the UFC and it would only represent half the budget increase. UFC is a good target audience for selling ads and this dovetails nicely with Netflix

PPV's stay the same price me thinks.
I hope they trim the roster 50% and build a mini series that focuses on gyms and highlights fighters that have potential to build a name for themselves. It could really get us invested in teams more like the Fighting Nerds that are on fire right now. There is untapped potential that UFC could find with Netflix if they stop phoning it in like they have with ESPN

Netflix is not a PPV company and absolutely will not create a PPV system if they license UFC media rights.

 

[OldFashion]

It’s pretty sad a brand like UFC can’t hold down a network deal for more than 4 years at a time:

I mean isn't that normal? You negotiate and go to the highest bidder. Pretty normal. Be thankful that it's not like in the nba where the product gets divided into different packages to sell to different networks, both national and local and to watch all games you need to sign up for like 10 different subscriptions on different networks

 

[Senbonzakura]

Netflix raises its price no matter what.

2014: $2/month increase
2015: $1/month increase
2017: $1/month increase
2019: $2/month increase
2020: $1/month increase
2022: $1.50/month increase
2023: multiple increases (basic/premium)

They launched their low priced ad supported tier in 2022 and its printing money. They doubled their ad revenue in 2024 and expect to double it again in 2025.

Their content budget for 2026 is 18 billion. They can easily afford billion/year deal for the UFC and it would only represent half the budget increase. UFC is a good target audience for selling ads and this dovetails nicely with Netflix



Netflix is not a PPV company and absolutely will not create a PPV system if they license UFC media rights.

Hope your right but never say never

 

[evergreenrider]

I mean isn't that normal? You negotiate and go to the highest bidder. Pretty normal. Be thankful that it's not like in the nba where the product gets divided into different packages to sell to different networks, both national and local and to watch all games you need to sign up for like 10 different subscriptions on different networks

If the product is worth it, networks retain their relationships.

 

[joy2day]

I mean isn't that normal? You negotiate and go to the highest bidder. Pretty normal. Be thankful that it's not like in the nba where the product gets divided into different packages to sell to different networks, both national and local and to watch all games you need to sign up for like 10 different subscriptions on different networks

I wouldn't 't count that option out. The UFC has publicly talked about doing just that, splitting the rights.

 

[evergreenrider]

I wouldn't 't count that option out. The UFC has publicly talked about doing just that, splitting the rights.

Trying the NFL model huh. Well, that only works because it's the biggest sport in the country. Dana really so deluded as to still believe the bigger than soccer bit?

 

[joy2day]

Trying the NFL model huh. Well, that only works because it's the biggest sport in the country. Dana really so deluded as to still believe the bigger than soccer bit?

It wasn't the kind of large spilt the NFL has- they were talking a split between 2 networks. They don't have enough of a roster to handle one channel though; I have my doubts.

 

[evergreenrider]

It wasn't the kind of large spilt the NFL has- they were talking a split between 2 networks. They don't have enough of a roster to handle one channel though; I have my doubts.

It's the fans they should be worried about. More hoops to jump through result in negative impact. You'd think the ESPN deal would have taught that. Guess it's a network problem to deal with.

 

[rjmbrd]

I wouldn't 't count that option out. The UFC has publicly talked about doing just that, splitting the rights.

Not only has Ari specifically said they shopped this for a multi-network/platform deal prior to signing with ESPN, but the UFC literally did this in the past.

Ari is the best media rights negotiator on planet earth. If splitting the rights makes more money, that is exactly what will happen.