Remember when Dana White dropped that bombshell about aiming for an NFL-level TV deal? Well, things just got a whole lot more interesting. Jeff Bezos, the Amazon mogul himself, was spotted front and center at UFC 306.
Bezos’s presence at the UFC 306 event sparked a lot of speculation among fans and analysts alike. MMA Fighting senior reporter Damon Martin recently shed light on this topic.
“Interesting — Jeff Bezos front and center for the card tonight — it’s entirely possible that Amazon becomes one of the biggest bidders for the UFC’s broadcast rights in 2025. Remember, UFC nearly signed with Amazon last time around before going with ESPN,” wrote Martin via X.
Let’s rewind a bit. The UFC’s current deal with ESPN is set to expire in 2025. White has been hinting at big changes, talking about spreading UFC content across multiple platforms. It’s a bold move, but Dana White never plays it safe anyway.
Amazon Prime may become a go-to destination for all things UFC. It’s not as far-fetched as fans might think. In fact, the UFC nearly inked a deal with Amazon before settling on ESPN last time around. Plus, Amazon is expanding and has deep pockets. We’re talking “buy-a-small-country” kind of money. It would be interesting to see what 2025 holds for the UFC.
TKO President Mark Shapiro Talks About Having Multiple Broadcasting Partners
Under Dana White’s leadership, the UFC has become a global phenomenon. Now, as the ESPN deal nears its end, White is eyeing an even bigger prize. Mark Shapiro, president of TKO Group Holdings, also dropped some serious hints about the future of UFC’s broadcasting.
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Shapiro revealed that in January 2025, negotiations with Disney will kick off. But he’s not putting all his eggs in one basket. He believes that the promotion will be open to exploring multiple broadcasting options. Damon Martin reported this on his X,
“The UFC’s exclusive negotiating window with ESPN on a new TV deal runs from January 15 to April 15. After April 15, additional bidders could get involved on the UFC broadcast rights if a new deal isn’t reached by then. Per TKO president Mark Shapiro.”
Why the change? Well, money talks, and in this case, it’s shouting. The NFL’s TV deal is worth a whopping $111 billion. UFC’s current ESPN contract is a mere $1.5 billion. White is aiming to play in the big leagues. Multiple platforms could mean more eyeballs and bigger paychecks for fighters as well as more revenue for the company.
