Report: UFC won’t be cutting back on PPVs under new TV deal

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Wild

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Dec 31, 2014
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One of the questions concerning the UFC’s new broadcast rights deal was whether or not we would see a decrease in pay-per-view events. So far, we know that ESPN+ will stream up to 15 fight cards per year starting in 2019, with the television package still not awarded. It is reported that FOX and NBC are both bidding for that piece of the programming pie.

As far as how many cards are up for grabs? This blurb from Bloomberg magazine breaks it all down:

“The UFC is free to negotiate with other partners for the rest of its live rights. Those include 12 pay-per-view events, 12 pay-per-view prelim events (being offered separately in this round of talks) and about 15 other…

Report: UFC won’t be cutting back on PPV events under new TV deal
 

FrankieNYC

"My balls was hot!"
Aug 13, 2017
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Paging FrankieNYC @FrankieNYC for his take.
Hey Wild @Wild
That goes against everything WME has said since the bought it

But the wording of the actual source material, does not say they "won't" cut back on PPV
Meanwhile, the UFC is free to negotiate with other partners for the rest of its live rights. Those include 12 pay-per-view events, 12 pay-per-view prelim events (being offered separately in this round of talks) and about 15 other events per year, according to Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein.
The actual wording is they are free to "negotiate" those amount of events.

in other words, if Fox wants PPV level fights, they need to pay more for them (which was always the negotiations)

The title of the link was a bit miss-representative of what was actually said in the source material IMO
 

Chromium

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Oct 10, 2016
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Ughh.... this is just so dumb, and I really do hope it's just a negotiating stance. It's straight up detrimental to put out four PPVs a year that make 150k or less when they could be putting those same shows on a major television network and be making new fans. And the UFC desperately needs new fans right now.

WME is completely horrible at playing the long game, and I don't understand it. If they take the short term financial hit now, they can make more money down the road, probably a whole lot more. You'd think a multi-billion dollar company would fucking understand that, but maybe it's just not the Hollywood way of thinking.
 

Wild

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Hey Wild @Wild
That goes against everything WME has said since the bought it

But the wording of the actual source material, does not say they "won't" cut back on PPV


The actual wording is they are free to "negotiate" those amount of events.

in other words, if Fox wants PPV level fights, they need to pay more for them (which was always the negotiations)

The title of the link was a bit miss-representative of what was actually said in the source material IMO
Good stuff as always sir.
 

FrankieNYC

"My balls was hot!"
Aug 13, 2017
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Good stuff as always sir.
Thank you
That is how I took it anyway

As I mentioned in a few other post. The $200-250m a year offer difference seems to be based on the number/quality of fights.
With ESPN over-paying, they might be holding on to "if you want bigger fights then pay more" since ESPN set the bar higher than they should
 
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M

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Fox is prob waiting to see the outcome of Conor's court case on June 14 before they decide whether or not they'll accept a higher offer
 

FrankieNYC

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.
Fox is prob waiting to see the outcome of Conor's court case on June 14 before they decide whether or not they'll accept a higher offer
Conor will never be on Fox though

It is pretty much the opposite actually (unless something changed)

Fox made an offer, been pretty steadfast they won't go higher than $225-250m & waiting on UFC to take it or go elsewhere.
It was almost done 3 weeks ago according to Variety, but UFC received competitive bids at the last moment.
Plus like I said, ESPN+ set the bar pretty huge.
 
M

member 3289

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.


Conor will never be on Fox though

It is pretty much the opposite actually (unless something changed)

Fox made an offer, been pretty steadfast they won't go higher than $225-250m & waiting on UFC to take it or go elsewhere.
It was almost done 3 weeks ago according to Variety, but UFC received competitive bids at the last moment.
Plus like I said, ESPN+ set the bar pretty huge.
Yeah I mistakenly thought they'd get a portion of the PPVs
 

FrankieNYC

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Yeah I mistakenly thought they'd get a portion of the PPVs
Funny you mention that.
When UFC were taking closed bids, Fox bid $3.5b for them.
WME said at the time that since fox was interested in buying UFC that they would be open to making Fox or whomever gets the 2019 rights a true partner.
Meaning they would get a cut of PPV, etc. & use their platform to promote UFC PPV.

No idea if Fox balked or if WME changed their mind
 
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1031

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They should cut back onn ppv for one year, meanwhile put some stacked shows on a free network then rake in new future-paying fans.
...I should be on someone's payroll I tell you.
 

FrankieNYC

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They should cut back onn ppv for one year, meanwhile put some stacked shows on a free network then rake in new future-paying fans.
...I should be on someone's payroll I tell you.
I get your idea, but with something like PPV, once you get used to not paying for something (or less) it is tough to go back.
Look at WWE. They gave Mania away in the network offer when they started and WWE looked into bringing it back to PPV because they lost millions and research showed the interest was no longer there

or TLDR:

 
1

1031

Guest
I get your idea, but with something like PPV, once you get used to not paying for something (or less) it is tough to go back.
That's why you do it big on network for an introductory year but STILL have ppv in that time frame. If ppv is something you want to be anchored to.

I think wwe fans or different in many ways from mma fans fwiw.
 

FrankieNYC

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That's why you do it big on network for an introductory year but STILL have ppv in that time frame. If ppv is something you want to be anchored to.

I think wwe fans or different in many ways from mma fans fwiw.
Cutting down on PPV is what they are expected to do. Your post read as if there would be no PPV and then re-boot it.
I don't think UFC wants to be anchored to anything actually, but a 350k PPV buy brings about $14-15m to UFC. So even a mediocre PPV will make big money that cannot be recouped on TV in that aspect.

I totally expect 6-9 PPV a year beginning in 2019. I'd be shocked if they keep doing 12

It sucks for fans in US, but it is the truth

But consumers are consumers. There is no real difference in fans in that aspect. If people are used to getting something free, the majority won't pay for it again.
Look at the newer buyers. The younger generation does not buy music or anything they can get free online. They are used to a certain way to consume product.
 
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SensoriaUtopia

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Coolest to me would be to have all free cards, have the regular fight night cards, and then about 10 stacked free cards that are PPV quality and then have 1 actualy PPV each year, in July and stack the fuck out of it, I mean stack it more than UFC 100 or UFC 200 etc...price that shit 80 to 100 dollars, and I will gladly pay 100 bucks once a year for a super super card that looks like vintage Pride cards

That's what I want fuckers
 
1

1031

Guest
That's why you do it big on network for an introductory year but STILL have ppv in that time frame. If ppv is something you want to be anchored to.
Your post read as if there would be no PPV and then re-boot it.
cut back on =/= cut out.
But consumers are consumers. There is no real difference in fans in that aspect. If people are used to getting something free, the majority won't pay for it again.
Look at the newer buyers. The younger generation does not buy music or anything they can get free online. They are used to a certain way to consume product.
That last part is a great observation and indicates the younger generation is just too resourceful in finding or creating ways of accessing ppv without paying. If they want to make more of their money from network broadcasts then they will have to think about what can go wrong (in terms of people losing interest) and anticipate some things.
 
1

1031

Guest
my mistake in reading that part. I apologize.
I read it, got busy & replied later
No worries, I think you've still made your point. If it were my decision it would make me investigate and analyze the situation more.
 

FrankieNYC

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Aug 13, 2017
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No worries, I think you've still made your point. If it were my decision it would make me investigate and analyze the situation more.
Yes, the future HAS to be less PPV's

not even the fact of less people watching than on TV, but the over-all reporting of shitty numbers doesn't help MMA.
but the numbers are real & needs to be discussed.

Hopefully 2019 is a turn-a-round year for MMA
 

Silverball

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Feb 24, 2015
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Terz is a hack
I expect the numbers to be that range, but it is impossible to have a number this early.
Most cable companies don't report numbers by Wednesday morning

also Terez was the one that reported that UFC signed with NBC/ESPN & were doing split rosters (0-3)
Agreed. That said, I haven't seen any predictions putting the pay per view over 100,000. I'll post a follow-up if Dave Meltzer chimes in with an estimated buy rate (if you don't beat me to it).
 

FrankieNYC

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Aug 13, 2017
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Agreed. That said, I haven't seen any predictions putting the pay per view over 100,000. I'll post a follow-up if Dave Meltzer chimes in with an estimated buy rate (if you don't beat me to it).
Cool
:cheers:


He might have it overnight in WON

It depends on how many reports come in
He waits for a certain %.
DTV does immediate reporting, a lot wait for a certain date per month to do their accounting.
Even MayMac had three numbers reported
  • Early estimates by Dave 3-5 days after
  • Estimated by SHO & Dave a month after ***
  • Final number 2-3 months after
*** Funny thing was Dave's number wound up being almost exact while SHO was higher
 

Chromium

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12 x 50k > 6 x 60k
Are you seriously suggesting they more PPVs is unequivocally better, in economic terms? Like do you think they should put absolutely all their shows on PPV? Do you really think that that would be what's best for the promotion as a business long term?