UFC Seeks $1 Billion+ Annually For New Broadcast Deal

January 16, 2025
4 weeks
UFC Seeks $1 Billion+ Annually For New Broadcast Deal

The UFC wants over $1 billion annually for their new broadcasting deal.

That is according to a Bloomberg report. That figure is more than double what the UFC is currently getting. Under their deal with ESPN, the UFC is paid $450 million a year. The UFC inked their deal with ESPN in 2018. Under the terms, the UFC would get $1.5 billion. ESPN would be allowed to broadcast their fights exclusively. ESPN has a three-month exclusive period, which started in January, to allow for any new deal to be made. Outside of this, the UFC would then be free to explore other options. This gives the UFC leverage, knowing that ESPN will have a decision to make. There are several other options out there.

WWE recently signed a $5 billion deal to broadcast WWE’s Monday Night Raw for the next ten years. The UFC could command something like this, given that the UFC and WWE merged together to make TKO Group Holdings Inc. Elsewhere, the NBA has inked a deal with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime. That is worth $76 billion over an 11-year period.

That gives the UFC the chance to expand their horizons on a variety of platforms. The UFC is way ahead of their rivals. The PFL is facing significant criticism over its promotion. They have cut their yearly $1 million tournament prize money in half, with suggestions they are experiencing financial woes. Several fighters have also spoken out publicly about their lack of fights. This UFC has also established itself with the Saudis, who invest heavily in combat sports. The future is now looking bright. 

The Future

“Discussions around our upcoming US domestic rights renewal have not yet begun, and as such we have shared no expectations regarding price. We are in an exclusive negotiating window with ESPN through mid-April 2025, and look forward to productive negotiations when the time comes,” UFC statement to bloomberg

“We’re going to maximize price for our shareholders and we’re going to maximize brand and reach potential for our own properties. That means almost as much as price. I can’t say enough and I’ve said ad nauseum about ESPN and Disney and the way they’ve supported and grown and marketed and just creatively gotten behind the UFC. Just been an extraordinary partner and FOX, by the way, was an extraordinary partner before that.

“But ESPN just has so much reach and the CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, came up in sports so he gets it. He gets the storytelling, he gets the reach, he gets engagement. [ESPN chairman] Jimmy Pitaro’s been a phenomenal partner. So we’ll be looking to maximize price and we’ll be looking to also do what’s right for the health of our brand. If that means splitting up the packages or creating new packages, or potentially adding fights and dates, we’re willing to do all of the above,” TKO President Mark Shapiro

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