Author Topic: ESPN+ gets first major contract (UFC) - Regular ESPN as well now  (Read 1707 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Moranis

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 33461
  • Tommy Points: 1533
ESPN+ the new streaming channel from ESPN has announced a 5 year deal with the UFC.  The deal will include 15 live fights a year as well as the UFC's digital content and digital series like the Contender Series.  In other words, pretty much what the UFC has on its own digital service the UFC Fight Pass will transfer over to ESPN+, however ESPN+'s subscription fee is just $4.99 a month (so cheaper than UFC Fight Pass) and will include other ESPN content.  The UFC will still have its PPV's and television events though its deal with Fox/FS1/FS2 does end at the end of the year and has yet to be renewed.  The terms are reportedly 150 million a year going to the UFC.  That seems high at first blush, but the UFC has a set of hard core fans that follow the UFC and will likely bring viewership and subscribers to ESPN+.  Plus, the high volume of old fight footage that the UFC has will significantly help ESPN+ get off the ground with content something any new streaming service will need. 
« Last Edit: May 23, 2018, 01:34:52 PM by Moranis »
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: ESPN+ gets first major contract (UFC)
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2018, 02:57:17 PM »

Offline Eddie20

  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8497
  • Tommy Points: 975
ESPN+ the new streaming channel from ESPN has announced a 5 year deal with the UFC.  The deal will include 15 live fights a year as well as the UFC's digital content and digital series like the Contender Series.  In other words, pretty much what the UFC has on its own digital service the UFC Fight Pass will transfer over to ESPN+, however ESPN+'s subscription fee is just $4.99 a month (so cheaper than UFC Fight Pass) and will include other ESPN content.  The UFC will still have its PPV's and television events though its deal with Fox/FS1/FS2 does end at the end of the year and has yet to be renewed.  The terms are reportedly 150 million a year going to the UFC.  That seems high at first blush, but the UFC has a set of hard core fans that follow the UFC and will likely bring viewership and subscribers to ESPN+.  Plus, the high volume of old fight footage that the UFC has will significantly help ESPN+ get off the ground with content something any new streaming service will need.

Did you copy this correctly or was it miswritten? Because 15 live fights is much different than 15 live fight cards.

Re: ESPN+ gets first major contract (UFC)
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2018, 03:01:12 PM »

Offline Moranis

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 33461
  • Tommy Points: 1533
ESPN+ the new streaming channel from ESPN has announced a 5 year deal with the UFC.  The deal will include 15 live fights a year as well as the UFC's digital content and digital series like the Contender Series.  In other words, pretty much what the UFC has on its own digital service the UFC Fight Pass will transfer over to ESPN+, however ESPN+'s subscription fee is just $4.99 a month (so cheaper than UFC Fight Pass) and will include other ESPN content.  The UFC will still have its PPV's and television events though its deal with Fox/FS1/FS2 does end at the end of the year and has yet to be renewed.  The terms are reportedly 150 million a year going to the UFC.  That seems high at first blush, but the UFC has a set of hard core fans that follow the UFC and will likely bring viewership and subscribers to ESPN+.  Plus, the high volume of old fight footage that the UFC has will significantly help ESPN+ get off the ground with content something any new streaming service will need.

Did you copy this correctly or was it miswritten? Because 15 live fights is much different than 15 live fight cards.
yeah it is fight cards, 12 fights per card.  I actually thought that was obvious, as most people I confer with just refer to each event as fights.
« Last Edit: May 08, 2018, 03:11:11 PM by Moranis »
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: ESPN+ gets first major contract (UFC)
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2018, 01:34:31 PM »

Offline Moranis

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 33461
  • Tommy Points: 1533
It appears that they have actually reached a much broader deal then originally reported and ESPN will now replace Fox entirely.

http://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/23581729/espn-ufc-reach-five-year-television-rights-deal

5 years, 1.5 billion to the UFC and the deal includes 10 fight cards on ESPN TV Networks, live Prelims for 12 PPV's, along with 20 fight cards on ESPN+ every year, and the fight library for ESPN+. 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip