Paramount will get UFC streaming rights in U.S. with $7.7B deal

[ad_1] Skydance-owned Paramount will turn out to be the unique U.S. dwelling of Final Combating Championship beneath a seven-year streaming deal valued at about $7.7 billion US, the primary main strategic transfer by the newly merged media large beneath new CEO David Ellison.

Beginning subsequent yr, Paramount+ will carry the entire U.S. slate of 13 numbered UFC occasions and 30 Battle Nights. UFC, owned by TKO Group Holdings, can even have choose numbered playing cards simulcast on Paramount's CBS broadcast community, the businesses introduced on Monday.

The deal builds on Ellison's dedication to extend funding in high-quality unique content material, which he had known as the "single greatest driver of subscriber development."

Sports activities content material, particularly rights to reside occasions, has turn out to be the cornerstone of media technique as cord-cutting accelerates, with rivals similar to Netflix and Disney additionally putting comparable offers to strengthen their choices.

Netflix secured a $5-billion, 10-year world deal for WWE Uncooked from 2025 and added two NFL Christmas Day video games. Disney's ESPN prolonged rights with the NFL, NHL, MLB and Faculty Soccer Playoff.

"The addition of UFC's year-round must-watch occasions to our platforms is a serious win," Ellison mentioned, calling UFC a "world sports activities powerhouse."

The corporate can pay a mean of $1.1 billion a yr and embrace occasions at no additional price to subscribers, shifting away from UFC's conventional pay-per-view mannequin. It additionally mentioned it could search UFC rights in different markets as they arrive up for bidding.

Whereas Canadians can subscribe to Paramount+ beginning at $6.99 a month for the standard plan, it is unclear whether or not they'll have the ability to watch UFC fights on that platform. Sportsnet has held unique rights to UFC Battle Nights, pay-per-view preliminary occasions and the fact collection The Final Fighter in Canada since 2024.

In the meantime, the following UFC pay-per-view combat accessible for Canadians to look at on Sportsnet prices $69.99. A spokesperson for Rogers, which owns Sportsnet, advised CBC Information the Paramount deal will not change something for Canadian viewers.

UFC phases about 40 reside occasions a yr, reaching roughly 100 million U.S. followers and practically 950 million households globally. Its slate contains marquee numbered card occasions like UFC 300, weekly Battle Nights and actuality exhibits like The Final Fighter and Dana White's Contender Collection.

Paramount International and Skydance Media accomplished their $8.4-billion merger final week and appointed Ellison as CEO, capping a drawn-out deal course of marked by political scrutiny and shareholder considerations.