In a big early move under a new property, Paramount acquired the rights of the media to the events of mixed martial arts in UFC in the United States, the company said on Monday.
Paramount signed a seven -year deal with TKO GROUP Holdings, which will put 13 papers and 30 fighting nights on the Paramount+broadcasting platform. Some matches will be broadcast on the CBS television network.
Paramount pays an average of $ 1.1 billion annually, and a total of $ 7.7 billion, more than twice the amount under the current TKO agreement with ESPN, which ends at the end of 2025.
The deal is an indication that Paramount intends to be aggressive in its pursuit of the characteristics that will make the flow platform attractive to consumers because it is battles with Netflix, Amazon and other competitors.
David Ellson, who became the CEO of Paramount last week after his company Skydance completed a $ 8 billion with the media company, in the recent UFC battles with President Trump. Ellison was waiting for the organizational approval of the Paramount-Skydance.
The main promotional offers presented throughout the year by TKO and WWE are seen as strong tools to keep the subscribers subscribers.
Under the new agreement, UFC will not use payment for each offer to distribute its offers, in a major shift. All battles will be available with Paramount +. TKO produces 43 direct event per year, providing 350 hours of live programming.
“This is a teachers and an UFC brands, which enhances its position as a prominent sporting origin,” said Ary Emmanuel, CEO of TKO.
ESPN of the Walt Disney Company will remain in the field of business with TKO, where a new deal of $ 1.6 billion has signed a WWE events. ESPN will provide WWE events such as Wrestlemania and Summerslam for subscribers on its consumer direct platform, which is launched later this month.