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IOL News
7 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Exciting times for US MMA fans as UFC drops traditional Pay-Per-View model
The UFC has announced a groundbreaking $7.7 billion, seven-year media rights deal with Paramount, ending its traditional Pay-Per-View model and making all live events available on Paramount+ starting in 2026. Seen here: SA's Dricus du Plessis. Photo: AFP Image: AFP The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues to shake up the combat sport landscape after closing a game-changing deal with Paramount that will bring an end to the MMA powerhouse's traditional Pay-Per-View model. It was announced today that the UFC's parent company, TKO Group Holdings, Inc. - a premium sports and entertainment company - signed a seven-year media rights agreement with Paramount, confirming the latter as the exclusive home of all UFC live events in the United States of America going forward. With its broadcast deal with ESPN set to expire later this year, TKO Group - which owns the UFC and WWE under one umbrella - will move forward with Paramount in 2026, distributing UFC's full slate of 13 marquee numbered events and 30 Fight Nights via its direct-to-consumer streaming platform, Paramount+, with select numbered events to be simulcast on CBS, Paramount's leading broadcast network. This move is a game-changer for US fans as the PPV model has been a hot topic for many years, with many fans complaining, citing affordability, and often driven to piracy measures to catch their favourite superstars inside the Octagon. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ UFC and Paramount Announce $7.7 Billion Deal to Stream Premium Events on Paramount+ Starting Next Year Starting next year, UFC and Paramount will move away from the existing PPV model in making these premium events available at no additional cost to the expansive US subscriber base of Paramount+. The deal, as per a release from the UFC and Skydance Corporation, which owns Paramount, is for $7.7 billion over seven years. The days of US-based UFC fans paying for PPV, currently going at a rate of $79.99 each (R1420), will be something of the past as a Paramount+ subscription ranges at around $7.99 (R142 per month) to $12.99 (R231) a month for plans without ads and that include Showtime. Discounts are available for annual subscriptions. Paramount's Strategic UFC Partnership: Exploring Global Rights and Enhancing Viewer Experience Paramount, however, did not confirm if pricing plans will change or remain the same once the UFC deal starts. Paramount did, however, state that it also intends to explore UFC rights outside the U.S. as they become available in the future. 'I couldn't be more excited to join forces with Dana, Ari, and Mark. Rarely do opportunities arise to partner on an exclusive basis with a global sports powerhouse like UFC – an organisation with extraordinary global recognition, scale, and cultural impact,' said David Ellison, Chairman and CEO of Paramount. 'Paramount's advantage lies in the expansive reach of our linear and streaming platforms. Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy — driving engagement, subscriber growth, and long-term loyalty, and the addition of UFC's year-round must-watch events to our platforms is a major win. We look forward to delivering this premium content to millions of fans in the U.S., and potentially beyond.' 'This is a milestone moment and landmark deal for UFC, solidifying its position as a preeminent global sports asset,' said Ariel Emanuel, Executive Chair and CEO, TKO. 'Our decade-long journey with UFC has been defined by continuous growth and expansion, and this agreement is an important realisation of our strategy. We believe wholeheartedly in David's vision and look forward to being in business with a company that will prioritise technology as a means to enhance storytelling and the overall viewing experience.' 'Paramount is a platinum partner with significant reach,' said Mark Shapiro, President and COO, TKO. 'Our new agreement unlocks powerful opportunities at TKO for years to come – meaningful economics for investors; expanded premium inventory for global brand partners; and deeper engagement for UFC's passionate fanbase. Just as importantly, our athletes will love this new stage.' UFC CEO Dana White said in a statement on social media that the deal makes the UFC 'amongst the biggest sports in the world.' Picture: Chandan Khanna/AFP Image: Chandan Khanna/AFP
The South African
01-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
Here's who donated to SA's political parties in Q4
South Africa's political parties declared nearly R231 million in private donations during the 2024/25 financial year, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). However, new legislation threatens to dilute transparency just as the country approaches the 2026 local government elections. The IEC's latest quarterly disclosure report shows that R14.19 million was declared in the fourth quarter (January-March 2025), a notable dip reflecting ongoing trends of lower contributions outside election periods. Only three parties – the ANC, Democratic Alliance (DA), and ActionSA – made disclosures during this period. ANC : R7 million R4 million from Chancellor House Trust R3 million from Naspers Limited (Chancellor House has donated R11 million in 2024/25 — still under the R15 million legal cap) : DA : R6.19 million R3 million from Naspers R1.04 million (in-kind) from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) for internal training and strategy R743,687 from Main Street 1564 Smaller contributions from Polyoak Packaging, DKS Cleaners, and private individuals : ActionSA : R1 million From African Equity Corporation (Pty) Ltd : The Political Party Funding Act (PPFA), enacted in 2018 and enforced from 2021, was a landmark law meant to regulate and increase transparency in party financing. It: Required donations above R100 000 to be disclosed to be disclosed Capped annual donations from a single source at R15 million Banned funding from foreign governments and state-owned entities Introduced public funding via the Represented Political Parties Fund and Multi-Party Democracy Fund (MPDF) However, this framework is now under threat. Earlier this year, Parliament passed a resolution – not yet enacted – to double both: The minimum disclosure threshold to R200 000 to The maximum annual private donation limit to R30 million per donor This is despite criticism from civil society and findings by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) that South Africa's R15 million cap already made it an international outlier in donation limits. Civil society watchdog My Vote Counts (MVC) has fiercely criticised the proposal and has filed legal action to block it. The group said the changes are 'a step backwards for democracy' and undermine the public's right to access information on political funding. 'If the president signs off on this, it will lead to greater secrecy just as South Africa prepares for another heated election cycle,' MVC said. 'It's a fruit of the poisoned tree.' While parties like the ANC and DA consistently report large donations, the EFF and MK Party – both major players in the 2024 elections – declared R3.2 million and just R380 555, respectively, in the entire 2023/24 cycle. These low figures raise red flags about undeclared funding and enforcement loopholes. With municipal elections looming in 2026 and campaign activity ramping up, political donations are expected to increase – but transparency may decrease if the president enacts the Parliamentary resolution. Despite tight finances, no increase in public party funding has been approved for 2025/26, making parties more dependent on private backers. Yet, without robust regulation, civil society fears the system is becoming more opaque and vulnerable to undue influence. Total 2024/25 declared donations : R231 million : R231 million Top Q4 donor : Naspers (R6 million combined to ANC and DA) : Naspers (R6 million combined to ANC and DA) Donation threshold (pending change) : R100 000 → R200 000 : R100 000 → Annual cap (pending change): R15 million → R30 million Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
