Fox and ESPN appeared to be involved in a no-holds-barred battle for action sports dominance.
On the heels of Fox agreeing to a $1 billion deal with the WWE that locks down SmackDown Live for the next five years, ESPN has wrest(l)ed control of UFC’s television rights from Fox.
According to Variety, ESPN inked a second deal with UFC for the digital rights to broadcast an additional 15 events per year for the next five years. The deal, which was made after ESPN had already purchased the rights to 15 fights, brings the total purchase price to $1.5 billion.
The deal, which includes 15 exclusive fight cards for the new ESPN+ streaming service, starts in January.
UFC events will still be on Pay-per-View and as well as the league’s Fight Pass streaming service.
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![[L-R] Bill Berry, Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck of R.E.M. at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois on July 7, 1984.](https://www.insidehook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/rem-book-interview.jpg?resize=450%2C450)
