EPSN+ Raises Prices For UFC Fights – ‘Time To Cancel’
Fans are unhappy after the news that they will have to pay more to watch UFC Fight Night events and PPV bouts on ESPN+.
The UFC’s current ESPN deal expires next year, leaving them open to speak to other networks. The deal was signed in 2018 and is worth $1.5 billion. As the deal moves closer to ending, ESPN+ has raised the prices. The announcement comes as Disney, the parent company of ESPN, said there will be an increase in the monthly ESPN+ fee from $10.99 to $11.99.
Price Increase
The increase will begin on October 17. This is just before UFC 308, featuring the headline event between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway on October 26. The pricing will also impact PFL events, which ESPN+ currently airs. The decision means that UFC 307 will likely be the last PPV event at the current price. The headline event has not been announced, but Kayla Harrison and Aljamain Sterling will feature.
The increasing price may coincide with Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut. He has not had an MMA fight since beating Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. He left the UFC last year and signed a deal with the PFL. However, he has only had two boxing fights since then, losing to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Dana White has hinted that any new deal could be on multiple platforms. He referenced the NBA’s deal with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime. The agreement is for $76 billion and will span 11 years. Given the huge demand to see UFC fights, the organization could follow suit.
White Reacts
“It’s going to depend how all these other rights play out. The NBA was a big deal. Obviously, this one is playing out. ‘Who’s going to get them? Who’s not going to get them?’ It could determine where we end up. Our rights deal is going to be a big deal coming up here. Who knows?
“We could end up like the NBA and the NFL where we end up on multiple channels instead of just one. … It’s all moving and changing so quickly. Yeah, I could definitely see (the UFC on multiple networks). … We have a lot of different levels of fights, whether it’s Contender Series, Fight Nights or pay-per-views. They could end up on multiple platforms,” White said
The UFC could also follow in the footsteps of WWE. The UFC and WWE merged last year to form TKO Group Holdings Inc. WWE signed a ten-year deal with Netflix to air Monday Night Raw in an agreement worth $5 billion.
Netflix has shown a growing interest in combat sports, as they will air their first-ever boxing fight. That is when Jake Paul faces Mike Tyson on November 15. Such a deal allows the UFC to set up crossover appearances with WWE. Michael Chandler already appeared at Monday Night Raw this year to call out Conor McGregor. The future is bright for the UFC.
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