Dana White recently addressed the impending conclusion of the UFC’s broadcast rights deal with ESPN.
The exclusive negotiating window between the UFC and ESPN is set to close on Tuesday, allowing the promotion to explore other agreements with other networks for 2026 onwards.
The UFC inked a five-year, $1.5 billion deal with ESPN in 2018 for domestic broadcast rights, commencing in 2019. This agreement was extended by two years in early 2019, incorporating pay-per-view streaming rights.
Speaking at the UFC 314 post-fight press conference, White commented on the situation.
“When the window opens, we’ll obviously start talking to lots of different people and we’ll see what the options are out there. We’ve said this every time: There could be a time when we end up on several different networks like all other sports do. I like ESPN. I’ve said it many times: We had a bit of a rocky start, which is normal in any relationship, but we’re in a great place with ESPN. Whether we re-sign with them or do not, I have nothing but great things to say about my time at ESPN.”
White was also asked about maintaining the current event format, which saw 42 events in 2024.
“I don’t know. It depends on what ESPN or wherever else we go is looking for. Most of the times when you do these deals, you’re catering to what the network needs. Plus, they’ll have other programming, other sports that they’re already committed to at certain times and seasons and whatever it may be. It always changes. It doesn’t matter to me.”
White also commented on a Bloomberg report suggesting the UFC is seeking over $1 billion annually for its new broadcast rights deal, stating, “Sounds good to me.”
With the possibility of the UFC following WWE’s move to Netflix, the question of the pay-per-view model’s future arose.
“We do what works for the network – what do they want to do? Do they want to just put it on their air? Do they want to do pay-per-view? Do they want to put it behind a paywall? I don’t know any of those things. Tuesday, the window opens and we start talking to other networks and we’ll get more into that.”
