Dana White seems to be back on the idea that the pay-per-view model of the UFC is 'dead', only a few hours after it seemed that those days were over.
Yesterday, UFC President White announced the new temporary employment contract of the promotion with Paramount and CBS, who is said to be worth $ 7.7 billion in seven years.
TKO Group President and Chief Operations Officer Mark Shapiro claimed in a CNBC interview that the deal would be the end of PPV. He also claimed that most 'numbered' events, now at ESPN+ PPV, would probably end up on CBS, another point that White has contradicted.
Dana White seems to be UFC boss compared to pay-per-view death
There seem to be a few problems that still have to be smoothed at the end of the UFC of this deal with big money. TKO Group President Mark Shapiro stated yesterday that “the pay-per-view model is a thing of the past. What is more on pay-per-view? Boxing? Films on DirectV? It is an outdated, outdated model.”
Only a few hours later, Dana White gave an interview to the New York Post that was immediately against that idea. “Everything is possible,” said White. “And you could do a one-time pay-per-view. I'm going to be on pay-per-view this Saturday. Pay-per-view is not dead.”
That is not the only contrast that the couple had in their messages. During a performance at CNBC, Shapiro said: “CBS will have Simulcasts of many of the fights and probably all the numbered events that are previously the pay-per-view fights.”
But later in the day, White spoke with CBS Sports that the broadcast network would only get four major events a year. As part of their current temporary employment plan with ESPN and ABC, incidental events are made available at ABC, but they are generally fighting evenings, not large numbered events.
UFC fans were looking forward to the news about the new temporary employment deal that spelled the end of PPV
The news from the end of the pay-per-view was initially celebrated by fans, whose expenses on an annual basis could fall around $ 1,000 to view all events. White even remarked in his first explanation that the sport will grow enormously because of the removal of pay-per-view.
“This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes,” White said in a statement on social media.
“For the first time, fans in the US have access to all UFC content without a pay per-view model, making it more affordable and accessible to view the biggest fights on a huge platform.
“This deal places UFC under the largest sports in the world. The exposure offered by the Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge victory for our athletes and everyone who watches and loves this sport.”