Dana White’s UFC to sign INS*NE $3 Billion contract with new TV deal for 2025

Wall Street expert Eric Handler anticipates a lucrative era for TKO, citing the potential doubling of UFC's TV rights in their upcoming deal, bolstering their financial outlook.

Dana White’s UFC to sign INS*NE $3 Billion contract with new TV deal for 2025

Wallstreet analyst predicts success for UFC in 2024 (Image via: X)

The UFC and WWE recently merged into TKO Group Holdings with Ari Emanuel as the CEO. Vince McMahon is the executive chairman of the holding company but nobody from the UFC, including Dana White, holds a position in the company. After the merger, TKO opened at 102$. However, now it went down to $80 per share.

Nevertheless, Wall Street journalist Eric Handler predicts great things for TKO in 2024. This is what he told Hollywood Reporter as reported by Damon Martin of MMAFighting.

We continue to have a positive view toward sports/live events programming, especially those with a high level of revenue being contractually guaranteed, the market for sports rights fees remains strong, aided by an increasing number of interested distributors.
Eric Handler via MMA Fighting
YouTube video

One of the reasons for Handler’s prediction is the next TV deal for the UFC. Currently, UFC has an exclusive TV deal with ESPN. Handler predicts that the next TV deal for the UFC would be double the current deal. The UFC-ESPN deal ends in 2025.

FS Video

Handler cites the fact that the UFC is generating immense revenue year after year. Moreover, the promotion also sells out PPV events and also Fight Nights. The reason for ESPN+ growth is solely UFC PPVs. These all factors point to a massive TV deal according to Handler. However, other factors like the ongoing lawsuit and PPV volatility can hinder the prediction of Handler.

The UFC’s current TV deal with ESPN

The UFC’s current TV deal with ESPN began in 2019. From 2011, the UFC had an exclusive 7-year deal with Fox Networks. The deal with Fox was the promotion’s first deal with a major broadcast television network.

Dana White
Dana White (Image via IMAGO)

The deal with ESPN offered the UFC a 150$ million per year for 7 years which made the total value of the deal 1.5$ billion. As per the deal, the UFC has to do a minimum of 30 UFC Fight Nights. ESPN launched its new OTT platform, ESPN+, in 2018. The deal with UFC enhanced the growth of the OTT platform. The majority of the subscribers of ESPN+ are UFC fans.

Dana White and the UFC already made immense profits in 2023. The profit they made in 9 months in 2023 was bigger than the entirety of 2022. Post covid, the UFC witnessed tremendous popularity and growth under Dana White. With UFC 300 and the return of Conor McGregor on the horizon, the profit margin will widen in 2024.

In case you missed it!