Latest news with #fightfans
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How much will it cost to be a UFC fan in 2026 after Paramount deal? $12.99 per month
UFC's massive new deal with Paramount/CBS is shaping up to be great for fight fans. The change in broadcast partner will mark a sea change for the promotion as it moves away from its historic pay-per-view (PPV) business model. The change couldn't be coming at a more appropriate time, as there are fewer stars and more athletes on the roster than ever. The promotion is built to hold LOTS of events, not necessarily ones that are worth shelling out $80. In recent years, it's become extremely expensive to be a UFC fan, a fact made more difficult by general economic instability. While discussing the new Paramount deal, TKO Chief Operating Officer talked about moving away from pay-per-view. He also dropped a number for the monthly cost at $12.99, a dramatic improvement to the current expenses. 'The pay-per-view model is a thing of the past,' Shapiro said on CNBC. 'What's on pay-per-view anymore? Boxing? Movies on DirecTV? It's an outdated, antiquated model. So, it was paramount to us – forgive the pun – where it's one-stop shopping, especially for our younger fans in flyover states. When they find out, 'Wait, if I just sign up for Paramount+ for $12.99 a month, I'm going to automatically get UFC's numbered fights and the rest of the portfolio?' That's a message we want to amplify.' Currently, $12.99 is the monthly rate of a premium Paramount+ subscription. Shapiro spoke of that figure as if it's not going to change in 2026, which feels almost too good to be true given the money Paramount is throwing around to add UFC fights and South Park to its platform. Still, as of right now, Shapiro is the best source we have in regards to future pricing. If the $12.99 a month rate holds, it will cost about $156 to watch every UFC event in 2026, less than the costs of two 2025 UFC PPV events.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
UFC and Paramount strike $7.7 billion deal
The UFC and Paramount have agreed a stunning $7.7billion deal that will see the network become the exclusive home of all UFC events in the U.S. The deal will see Paramount host all 43 annual UFC live events - including 13 marquee events and 30 'Fight Nights' - throughout the year. In a huge boost to fight fans, the deal will also see an end to the pay-per-view model which has traditionally been used with the UFC during their time at ESPN. ESPN had been paying an average of $500 million across a five year deal with the UFC - however that deal is set to run out at the end of 2025. Paramount, meanwhile, will pay an average of $1.1bn per year for the broadcast rights and have signed a seven-year deal, which will begin in 2026. Therefore, fight fans can pay just $12.99 a month for Paramount+ to get access to every single UFC event that goes on throughout the calendar year. The news was confirmed by UFC chief Dana White, who said in a statement: 'This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes. 'For the first time ever, fans in the US will have access to all UFC content without a pay-per-view model, making it more affordable and accessible to view the greatest fights on a massive platform. 'This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world. The exposure provided by Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.' The agreement marks a huge shift in the live sport landscape, with Paramount eager to move into the scene, days after closing its $8.4bn merger with Skydance Media. On Monday, Paramount CEO David Ellison said: 'Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy - driving engagement, subscriber growth, and long-term loyalty'. Reports claim that initial talks suggested that Paramount would buy the 30 'Fight Night' events and that the other premium numbered events would be sold elsewhere. However, Ellison was reportedly keen on sealing the entire UFC package given the limited amount of sports right that are available in the country moving forward. The network also revealed that they are interested in buying the UFC's international rights, along with the current deal. The UFC previously signed a $1.5billion deal with ESPN in 2019. However, the partnership led to much frustration around pay-per-view streaming glitches. During UFC 313 earlier in March, the issues continued to cause problems with viewers, prompting UFC chief Dana White to address them in a press conference. 'Oh yeah, it made it to me. They were having problems buying it on ESPN+. I don't know what happened with their platform tonight,' White said. 'There were a lot of pissed-off people.' Moreover, the UFC brass was reportedly unsatisfied with ESPN, while the network was unhappy with the pay-per-view numbers being 'way down' for UFC cards. Reports had suggested that Netflix was also frontrunner for the UFC media rights deal.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Major change coming for UFC fans as Dana White strikes $7.7billion TV deal with Paramount
The UFC and Paramount have agreed a stunning $7.7billion deal that will see the network become the exclusive home of all UFC events in the U.S. The deal will see Paramount host all 43 annual UFC live events - including 13 marquee events and 30 'Fight Nights' - throughout the year. In a huge boost to fight fans, the deal will also see an end to the pay-per-view model which has traditionally been used with the UFC during their time at ESPN. ESPN had been paying an average of $500million across a five year deal with the UFC - however that deal is set to run out at the end of 2025. Paramount, meanwhile, will pay an average of $1.1bn per year for the broadcast rights and have signed a seven-year deal, which will begin in 2026. Therefore, fight fans can pay just $12.99 a month for Paramount+ to get access to every single UFC event that goes on throughout the calendar year. The news was confirmed by UFC chief Dana White, who said in a statement: 'This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes. 'For the first time ever, fans in the US will have access to all UFC content without a pay-per-view model, making it more affordable and accessible to view the greatest fights on a massive platform. 'This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world. The exposure provided by Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.' The agreement marks a huge shift in the live sport landscape, with Paramount eager to move into the scene, days after closing its $8.4bn merger with Skydance Media. On Monday, Paramount CEO David Ellison said: 'Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy - driving engagement, subscriber growth, and long-term loyalty'. Reports claim that initial talks suggested that Paramount would buy the 30 'Fight Night' events and that the other premium numbered events would be sold elsewhere. However, Ellison was reportedly keen on sealing the entire UFC package given the limited amount of sports right that are available in the country moving forward. The network also revealed that they are interested in buying the UFC's international rights, along with the current deal. The UFC previously signed a $1.5billion deal with ESPN in 2019. However, the partnership led to much frustration around pay-per-view streaming glitches. During UFC 313 earlier in March, the issues continued to cause problems with viewers, prompting UFC chief Dana White to address them in a press conference. 'Oh yeah, it made it to me. They were having problems buying it on ESPN+. I don't know what happened with their platform tonight,' White said. 'There were a lot of pissed-off people.' Moreover, the UFC brass was reportedly unsatisfied with ESPN, while the network was unhappy with the pay-per-view numbers being 'way down' for UFC cards.
