UFC has reportedly received interest from several companies eager to acquire the rights to broadcast their events after their current deal with ESPN expires in the next two years.
Endeavour CEO Ari Emanuel made the revelation during a recent appearance at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom conference.
Despite expressing satisfaction with their current exclusive TV partner, ESPN, Emanuel said that many buyers were preparing to compete for UFC’s broadcasting rights.
“We have a great relationship with ESPN, love our relationship with them, and we have a year left until we can start our renewal,” Emanuel said.
“I think it’s going to be a positive outcome for both parties but there’s a lot of buyers out there.
“If you just look at sports rights, Formula One in the United States, I think went from $5m to $95m (per year), hockey I think was $240m per season,” he said.
UFC and ESPN signed a five-year deal in 2019, which made ESPN the home of UFC Fight Night cards and UFC PPV preliminary cards.
The agreement was later extended until 2025 and is believed to be worth around US$300 million per year.
The potential suitors for UFC’s broadcasting rights have not been named, but the news has created speculation about who could be interested in acquiring the rights to one of the most popular combat sports in the world.
UFC’s events consistently draw millions of viewers worldwide, making it an attractive proposition for broadcasters.
