11-08-2025
Why UFC's deal with Paramount is ‘massive' for the sport
Yahoo Sports' Jason Fitz and Caroline Fenton discuss the league's $7.7 billion deal with Paramount, ditching the pay-per-view model for its main events and what it means for sports fans.
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Huge breaking news out of the UFC.
They've agreed to a seven-year, $7.7 billion exclusive US media rights deal with Paramount beginning in 2026.
All UFC events will stream on Paramount Plus with select events also airing on CBS.
Welcome back to Yahoo Sports Daily, Caroline Fent and Jason Fitz.
Caroline, this is massive for UFC.
Look, 7 years, $7.7 billion is, of course, massive.
But of true note here is this is the first time that all of the pay-per-views will simply be made available to subscribers.
There will be no additional extra costs.
They are simply aligning in a way that lets every Paramount Plus subscriber get to their pay-per-views.
That I don't think we can, we can put enough weight into how much that actually means.
Yeah, I mean 7 or $7.7 billion, Lord have mercy, Dana White, you are a bad, bad man.
But I think that this deal is revolutionary for growing the fan base for UFC.
I will be the first one to admit, I'm a casual UFC fan.
I'm not gonna make sure that I'm at home to watch every single fight on any given Friday or Saturday night, and I'm probably not going to be the person that spends, you know, 70 to $80 on any respective UFC fight.
I'll say if I can catch it, I will.
I'll go to a friend's house who's gonna pay for it, then I'll go over there and watch it.
But this changes things for me, and I think probably a large population of sports fans who also probably classify themselves as casual UFC fans, because now it is so much more accessible, and I think accessibility is key for any sports league, but especially a league that's trying to go uh to to grow.
Excuse me.
Like you look at the NFL, for example.
If you build it, they will come.
If you put an NFL game, they call it a Titans, Jags, not very good regular season game behind a paywall, people are gonna pay for it because it's the NFL and if you build it, they'll come.
The UFC doesn't have necessarily that luxury.
Although it has a very rabid and passionate fan base, it's not the largest fan base in all of sports.
I mean, I'm also gonna admit that I'm a little stunned.
We've seen ESPN spend massive amounts of money to put everything on their upcoming app.
I'm a little stunned to see ESPN get outbid.
Seven years, $7.7 billion is a staggering moment for UFC.
I think it's, it's big for everybody.
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