The UFC "could end up like the NBA" very soon, says Dana White about next broadcast deal
UFC CEO Dana White sketched a panoramic vision of how the organization's broadcast feature could take shape once its deal with ESPN is up in 2025.
Renowned for his propensity to embrace bold goals, White claimed that the UFC's broadcast deal could reflect the framework of major organizations like the National Basketball Association (NBA) or the National Football League (NFL). Speaking in an interview with CNBC, White stated:
“It’s going to depend on how all these other rights play out. The NBA was a big deal. Obviously, this one is playing out. ‘Who’s going to get them? Who’s not going to get them?’ It could determine where we end up... Who knows? We could end up like the NBA and the NFL where we end up on multiple channels instead of just one. … It’s all moving and changing so quickly."
He added:
"Yeah, I could definitely see [the UFC streamed on multiple networks]. We have a lot of different levels of fights, whether it’s Contender Series, Fight Nights, or pay-per-views. They could end up on multiple platforms.”
Catch White's comments below:
Most recently, The NBA signed lucrative new 11-year media rights deals with Disney, Comcast, and Amazon, worth a combined $77 billion. No matter what the UFC decides next, White noted that the streaming rights industry might witness a more competitive environment with few key players dominating the landscape.
As for their current deal with ESPN, they signed a five-year worth $1.5 billion deal with The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications-owned channel for domestic broadcast rights in 2019. They later extended the deal for two years and added pay-per-view streaming rights to the feature.
Dana White elevates the stakes for the upcoming Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes clash at UFC 304
Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is set to take on No.4 ranked contender Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event of UFC 304.
Besides the interim title being on the line, fans are unclear about the ultimate prize for the winner of the contest. White has offered some clarity regarding the matter and it involves the UFC's undisputed championship.
Speaking at the UFC 304 press conference, White confirmed that the winner of the fight will "absolutely" take on the victor of the Jones vs. Stipe Miocic clash next. He said:
Check out the video below:
Aspinall claimed the interim gold in November of last year when he beat Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295, after Jones, the undisputed heavyweight champion had to pull out of his fight against Miocic due to injury.