When the Ultimate Fighting Championship signed its seven-year contract with Fox back in 2011, it felt like a pretty big deal.
According to Dana White, the promotion’s new agreement with ESPN surpasses that.
“Obviously if you look, ESPN wouldn’t cover us not too long ago and now we’re on ESPN,” White said at the UFC Fight Night 130 post-fight press conference. “We’re in business with Disney. It’s probably the most monumental thing that has happened in the history of this company – in the history of this sport.”
Last week, it was revealed that ESPN had acquired full broadcast rights for the UFC beginning in 2019. The new deal will bring 10 events to ESPN’s various cable networks and 20 cards to its streaming service, ESPN+. Additionally, preliminary bouts for the UFC’s 12 pay-per-views will air on the Worldwide Leader.
The deal is believed to be worth a total of $1.5 billion — or $300 million per year for five years. The UFC’s contract with Fox — wroth about $100 million annually — expires at the end of the year.
“It’s big, for everyone,” White said. “I don’t care how you’re involved in this sport, this deal we just cut is big.”