Dana White, the boss of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Donald Trump, the Commander-in-Chief, have had a warm relationship.
The recent saga with Paramount’s acquisition by Skydance Media, backed by POTUS himself, has only added to the opportunities that both men have decided to explore together.
Pay Per View Is Dead, Long Live Paramount+
As a result, the UFC is dropping its historic Pay-Per-View model, which has proven a success, and moving to Paramount, which has bought the streaming rights for the promotion for the eye-watering $7.7 billion.
The deal follows a similar move Paramount signed with South Park, a satirical cartoon that has lampooned the network for its acquiescence to Skydance Media’s demand, as well as the current administration in the White House.
Dana White has remained confident that the new model could prove just as worthwhile and beneficial.
“This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes. For the first time, fans in the U.S. will have access to all UFC content without a Pay-Per-View model, making it more affordable and accessible to view the greatest fights on a massive platform,” White explained.
So far, the deal covers 13 marquee events as well as 30 Fight Nights that will be available to
Paramount Hails Deal as Way for Company to Restore Its Reputation
Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+. Some of the events will also be simulcast on CBS. Paramount CEO and Chairman David Ellison has hailed the deal and the opportunity it presented the company with.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join forces with Dana, Ari, and Mark. Rarely do opportunities arise to partner on an exclusive basis with a global sports powerhouse like UFC – an organization with extraordinary global recognition, scale, and cultural impact,” he said.
With 350 hours of fighting footage available, Paramount continues to invest heavily in worthwhile content that the company hopes will push its Paramount+ services ahead of the competition.