UFC Fighter Pay Paramount Deal: How the $1.1B Revenue In Contract Changes Everything

UFC recently reached a ten-figure deal with Paramount and CBS, granting them exclusive broadcast rights. While it began with only 30 Fight Night cards, the seven-year $7.7B deal has bucked out all other streaming giants in 48 hours. Paramount will now broadcast UFC’s major portion of the grinds and their 13 UFC contracted pay-per-view events; however, will UFC fighter pay see a dent?

ESPN ponied up $500 million annually for its payment-only webcast/private simulcast pay-per-view streaming. Under Paramount+, per their (parent Skydance Corporation) press release, that annual revenue now goes up to $1.1B for UFC. UFC CEO Dana White himself confirmed the matter, billing it as great for UFC and its athletes. Here is a look at what all can happen next.

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UFC-Paramount deal boosts UFC rights fees to 1000% from one previous media broadcast deal

2025 will see a full stop to the previous PPV model that prevailed for 32 years, and about 323 fight offerings (not yet on ESPN’s active schedule, UFC 323 ends this year’s numbered cards). With every other sport, boxing, and even movies on DirecTV, moving on from the PPV model, UFC needed the click to do the same.

PPV sales had been down for a while, and with a lack of big star power/change in champ status, card orders were dwindling. Top-heavy cards lacked variety, while other top stars capable of big fights and finishes found themselves in a watered-down PPV prelim spot. UFC litigation and media wanted better services, while ESPN wanted better product, and neither was successful at their own ends.

So, as a fan, it made no sense to pay so much for such a streaming arrangement, nearing $80. The $7.7B broadcast deal with Paramount+ thus means no stock set hike from $59.99 to 79.99 — to even $80 — without even the ESPN/ESPN+ subscription costs to order it. But that’s not just it: UFC itself benefits from it too. UFC rights fees ballooned by 1000% in 14 years with this deal!

That is a far cry from their original 2012 move to FOX and even from the ESPN one. Endeavor’s $2.670-$2.745B outtake shows that, despite cost controls and piracy, despite a failing PPV model, business was never not booming and is doing so even now. Now, such a boosted media income should make for quite a reserve. As in one that can be diverted to UFC fighter pays.

UFC CEO Dana White promises positive changes to fighter pay

This UFC-Paramount agreement will result in the UFC acquiring a staggering $1.1 billion per year for upcoming events, as well as the back catalogue and existing library. With enhanced revenue from media agreements, all eyes are on how the format of the 6-fight signing $10,000 contractual sum, and a stamped $50k bonus will change.

White, for his part, has hinted at massive changes that is sure to excite his roster of fighters:

The low-hanging fruit that’s easy to answer…will be…Bonuses. Bonuses [obviously] are going, going…to go up. That’ll be big, and forget about the tide rising with all the other fighters – just the number that the bonuses bring to a fighter, it’s millions.

Dana White to media scrum during DWCS Week 1 post-fight press conference

One major concern in the matter, though, is PPV points. Global superstars made their bread off PPV sales; check the all-out loaded Conor McGregor. He boasts the top 5 PPV numbers even today, and without them, the matter of his fame would be very different.

Now, without PPV sales, there’d be no PPV compensation points, which are good negotiators for contracting fights. In other prominent sports leagues, players are assured a revenue share, with the NFL offering as much as 50%. UFC doesn’t have a fighters’ union, and nothing such is assured.

For now, there is no telling how much will be skimmed due to a lack of PPVs or how and what new changes can actually boost overall UFC fighter salary. Only time will tell.