“I like ESPN. I’ve said it many times. We had a bit of a rocky start, which is normal in any relationship, but we’re in a great place with ESPN. Whether we re-sign with them or not, I have nothing but great things to say about my time at ESPN.” Dana White stated at the UFC 314 post-fight presser despite his recent frustration with the UFC 313 streaming issues last month. And don’t forget UFC 304 from last year which was plagued by a similar technical outage. However, the head honcho acknowledged their strong relationship and expressed no hard feelings. For the unversed, the UFC and ESPN’s 7-year broadcasting deal is now nearing its end.
ESPN has served as the promotion’s broadcasting partner since 2019, under a five-year deal worth $1.5 billion. This was then increased by 2 years with added PPV streaming rights. That agreement is set to expire this year in December. Moreover, the exclusive negotiation window for the duo ended on 15th April with the UFC free to negotiate with other broadcasters for their future. For months, speculation surrounding the UFC’s next move emerged, with Netflix emerging as a potential new home. After WWE transitioned the media rights for Monday Night Raw and recently Smackdown to the streaming giant, many believed the promotion might follow suit.
However, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro recently expressed interest in extending the partnership, keeping the door wide open for a renewal. According to an ‘X’ post by Jed I. Goodman referencing Puck News, Jimmy Pitaro and TKO Group President Mark Shapiro recently met to discuss the future of their partnership.
“Last week, Jimmy Pitaro and Mark Shapiro, in his capacity as President of TKO Group, met to discuss potential future packages. I’m told that the two parties are motivated to stay in business together beyond December when the current deal concludes. But that, of course, depends on how much interest UFC attracts from other mediacos.”
Pitaro also shared his thoughts on strengthening the relationship with the UFC during a recent interview with Sports Business Journal. He confirmed that both sides are actively working to figure out the next phase of their broadcasting partnership without hyper-focusing on the window, saying, “The exclusive negotiating window is expiring imminently, but I wouldn’t read too much into that. We’re not hyper-focused on that window. We know that there’s going to be interest in the UFC, and that’s great for the sport it’s great for them. But we remain interested in trying to figure something out.”
Per Puck newsletter,
“Last week, Jimmy Pitaro and Mark Shapiro, in his capacity as President of TKO Group, met to discuss potential future packages. I’m told that the two parties are motivated to stay in business together beyond December, when the current deal concludes. But…
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) April 15, 2025
Mark Shapiro shared that the UFC seriously considered Amazon before finalizing its pay-per-view deal with ESPN. For years, the UFC ran its events on a month-to-month basis through DirecTV, Spike, and FOX. When the time came to lock in a long-term partner, they explored multiple platforms. Talks with Amazon progressed significantly after the deal with FOX expired. But in the end, they chose to sell exclusive rights to ESPN. There’s no doubt that several competitors are ready to put lucrative offers on the table. And who knows? The UFC might even split its content across multiple networks, just like other major sports leagues. At least, that’s what Dana White seems to believe.
Dana White believes UFC might end up on several networks
Sports broadcasting is no easy game. It’s packed with big players and constantly shifting deals. The UFC has come a long way, and its rise hasn’t gone unnoticed. Now, streaming giants like Amazon and Netflix, along with longtime partner ESPN, are all showing serious interest in landing broadcasting rights. Dana White gets it. That’s likely why he’s staying vague about the promotion’s next move. Still, he dropped a hint that the UFC could follow in the footsteps of major leagues like the NFL, MLB, and NHL, who all have split their rights across major networks like ABC and CBS.
White at the UFC 314 post-fight press conference said, “When the window opens, we’ll obviously start talking to lots of different people and we’ll see what the options are out there. We’ve said this every time. There could be a time when we end up on several different networks like all other sports do.”
Do you think UFC will renew its deal with ESPN? Please comment your thoughts below.
The post ESPN Chairman Gets Good News Amid New UFC TV Deal As Dana White’s Team Still Holds the Ace appeared first on EssentiallySports.
