Where are we going to watch the fights in the Octagon after UFC’s current broadcasting deal with ESPN becomes void? This is the one thing that has been boggling the fighting community’s mind for quite some time now. Needless to say, UFC’s $1.5B deal with ESPN since 2018 has seldom disappointed the fighting realm. However, as the media rights deal seeks a new broadcasting partner, several prominent names have emerged. The list included Netflix, Amazon Prime, and even Warner Bros Discovery.
Currently, UFC PPVs and title fights are the primary attractions in the promotion. And these are streamed on ESPN+ with a PPV paywall in the way. Apart from that, UFC hosts Fight Night on a weekly basis. On top of that, there are series like DWCS and TUF, keeping the fight fans entertained. While it’s normal to watch such yearly series on Netflix, having PPVs on streaming platforms would be legendary indeed. Yes, WWE has already partnered with Netflix for a decade with a $5B contract that went live this year.
And not too long ago, Mark Shapiro, the COO of TKO holdings, said, “We’re in discussions at this time with various third parties regarding the UFC’s rights. I would term the conversations as thoughtful and strategic. Nothing to announce at this time, and ESPN is still heavily included in the mix.” With giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime fighting to get the media rights, it’s indeed a pivotal moment for combat sports. But just to be sure, let’s take a look at the entire picture.
Looking at the big picture with combat sports on streaming platforms
Netflix has already dipped its toes in the combat sports universe by bringing WWE to its platform. But before that, we already saw the insanely hilarious ‘The Roast of Tom Brady’. To make things more exciting, Netflix also took a test run with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. Unfortunately, many claimed to have a terrible experience with the broadcast. But for Dana White, it was as smooth as it could be. Talking to Sports Business Journal, the UFC boss said, “I was in a hotel room in New York, and I didn’t have a bad experience. It was a little grainy here and there, but I didn’t have a horrible experience. I’ve seen some other people say they did, but I didn’t.”
But things could turn for the better with their first live sports play with UFC. And Netflix’s co-founder, Ted Sarandos, expressed his views on the possibility of a deal with UFC. He claimed that pushing out live events was a relatively small section of what they did as a whole. And that’s why he wanted to “focus on the big, breakthrough events.” Yes, this was the condition, even though there was a possibility of UFC bringing in 230 million global subscribers to Netflix. Of course, Netflix isn’t alone in the race. Amazon Prime already has the permission to live stream NFL games. But planning to bring UFC PPVs into the picture was quite a big move.
However, there was one more wild card entry that shocked the entire world. The sports author at Puck, Josh Ourand, recently revealed, “Renewal talks with ESPN appear to be the furthest along… Amazon Prime and Netflix are also in the room… Amazon, I’m told, is most interested in UFC’s pay-per-view business. The wildcard in the negotiations is Warner Bros. Discovery.” Who knows? Well, WB might pack UFC with some eventful and hilarious shows like Inside the NBA.
Needless to say, it would be the first time in history that we’d get to watch UFC bouts on a streaming platform. This is indeed destined to change the entire picture of the UFC media rights scenario. The TKO Holdings, being the parent company for WWE and UFC, could even secure a bundle of rights deal, with either Netflix, WB, or Amazon securing the rights for both promotions. But how much can it actually be worth?
UFC doesn’t want to go in cheap
UFC’s deal with ESPN in 2018 was worth about $1.5B. They signed the deal for 5 years. This meant that the yearly valuation of the deal was around $300M. But with the recent success that the UFC has experienced, we can assume that the deal could surpass the valuation of $350M per year. However, this depended solely on the kind of returns the UFC got from PPV buyouts and other sources. Well, the UFC’s PPV revenue in just 2024 was reportedly more than $400M. No doubt, the next media rights deal is going to be a win-win for both UFC and the broadcasting partner. But a $1B annual price wasn’t something that Netflix was ready to accept.
On the other hand, the stakes are pretty high, with combat sports coming online on streaming platforms. If Dana White and Co. sign a deal with Netflix, WB, or Amazon, the fight fans can access the content anywhere and anytime. This is indeed one of the biggest green flags that the higher-ups are following. To push things further, having events on Netflix could also reel in the non-traditional followers to watch the fights. Not only would it increase the visibility, but it’d also increase the sports’ mainstream visibility.
While the excitement and uncertainty are pretty high around the broadcasting deal, there’s a possibility that can entertain the fans to the greatest extent. And that’s a model for niche and mass audience sports rights. This meant that the TKO Holdings would strike a deal with the platform to stream boxing, MMA, and WWE. But things will get insanely simplified if the UFC actually happens to sign a deal with the streaming companies. Getting all of our favorite fights on one platform is nothing short of a boon. However, White planned to secure a deal that would allow him to appear on multiple platforms. And all we need to do is wait and watch the story unfold.
Which platform would you prefer to watch UFC events on? Do you think Netflix should just accept the $1.5B deal with the UFC? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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