One of the major stories in combat sports this year is the UFC and their broadcast deal. The biggest MMA promotion in the world’s current deal with ESPN is up at the end of the year and the promotion has been negotiating with several potential partners since the exclusive negotiating window with ESPN ended back in the spring.
White and the UFC have been happy with their partnership with ESPN, but it’s certainly not been a perfect marriage. Over a year ago, it seemed like ESPN was going to be the favorite to retain the rights, but now, we seem to be trending in a different direction and Dana White dropped some major hints on the Full Send Podcast.
White said, “The world’s going to change a lot in the next year with our rights deals. Depending on where we end up, but more than likely, we’re going to end up with a platform that is way more global than we are now.” If you ask me, it’s not too hard to figure out what White is talking about and what he’s hinting at.
UFC to Netflix?
I think the favorite to add the UFC is Netflix. Netflix has a strong relationship with the promotion’s parent company TKO. Netflix agreed to a 10-year, $5 billion deal with TKO to have exclusive airing rights for WWE Raw and on a global scale, Netflix is the home for all WWE Premium Live Events (Formerly PPVs years ago).
In the United States, PLE’s still air on Peacock with the WWE’s deal with Peacock expiring in 2026. My assumption is that once that deal is up, the WWE will move the PLE’s over to Netflix as well along with their entire archive. Netflix is also going to be hosting the first Zuffa Boxing event that Dana White is promoting with the superfight between Canelo Alvarez and Terrance Crawford in September.
Given everything that’s going to Netflix under the TKO banner, it just makes sense that the UFC will find it’s way to Netflix next year as well. What’ll be interesting is whether the promotion goes completely to Netflix, or if they split their broadcast rights like the WWE is currently doing.
Perhaps, they have a deal where some of their Fight Nights air on one network with Netflix securing all the major events. It’s a massive story to follow over the coming months, but my guess is that we will know where the UFC is heading before the summer is over.
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