The UFC had a number of suitors concerned with touchdown the promotion’s broadcast rights deal, however in the long run, Paramount ponied up $7.7 billion per 12 months to land your complete bundle together with the top of conventional pay-per-view broadcasts.
Whereas predictions for the brand new UFC deal usually concerned its present companion at ESPN or doubtlessly partnering with Netflix, it was Paramount that made one of the best provide. UFC CEO Dana White admitted on Monday that even he was shocked at how the entire negotiation performed out with Paramount finally making a suggestion that couldn’t be refused.
“No, I didn’t suppose that is the place we’d find yourself however that is form of the way it performed out. I find it irresistible,” White advised The Pat McAfee Present. “These guys are clearly very sensible guys, very aggressive and when you concentrate on streaming, streaming’s unbelievable.
“Once they drop a terrific present — the issue with the entire service is I can watch it tonight or I can watch it two years from now. Stay sports activities goes to be a giant cope with all these streaming providers and we’re going to play a giant half in it.”
Beneath the phrases of the deal, all UFC occasions are going to air solely on the Paramount+ streaming service however sure playing cards are additionally going to be simulcast on CBS.
That might doubtlessly embody the extremely publicized White Home occasion that’s anticipated to happen in July 2026 as a part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to have a good time the US’ 250th birthday.
“That may be on CBS,” White teased. “Take into consideration that. Combat card from the White Home, reside and free on CBS the community. Come on.”
In a separate interview with CBS Sports activities, White detailed present plans to air a number of UFC occasions on CBS whereas persevering with to specific his pleasure on the potential to place that UFC White Home card on community tv.
“It’s wanting like we’re going to do 4 massive occasions a 12 months [on CBS],” White mentioned. “We’re speaking about doing a battle on the White Home subsequent 12 months on the 4th of July, the 250th anniversary of America. So think about an enormous battle on the garden of the White Home on CBS.”
Placing all the main UFC occasions on Paramount+ and probably CBS is a big shift in enterprise technique for the promotion after pay-per-view was an enormous income driver for the corporate for many years.
That every one modified after ESPN paid a hefty value to broadcast all UFC pay-per-views via the ESPN+ streaming service however these playing cards nonetheless price viewers an extra cost — at present $79.99 per occasion.
That’s all going away with the brand new cope with Paramount+ at present working $7.99 monthly with adverts and the ad-free model at $12.99 monthly.
“You get to observe all of the UFC programming on there,” White mentioned. “No pay-per-view anymore. It’s $13 or no matter it’s, you get every thing plus these guys have South Park, Yellowstone, I’ve been speaking about MobLand now. Tulsa King, the record goes on and on of all of the content material that they’ve. Nice reveals. So now you get all of the UFC content material plus all this different nice content material, too.”
Paramount made the transfer to land the UFC’s broadcast rights simply days after the corporate was bought by Skydance, an leisure firm headed up by CEO David Ellison, in a deal that closed at $8 billion.
Now Paramount is investing a median of $1.1 billion per 12 months within the UFC and White expects massive issues for the long run now that the deal is closed.
“They’ve a lot larger plans forward and we’re very aligned with them,” White mentioned about Paramount. “I’m excited to be in enterprise with the Ellison’s.”
