Is This the End of Pay-Per-View for Combat Sports?
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Combat sports have long been synonymous with pay-per-view (PPV), but that may be about to change.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Zuffa Boxing’s new broadcast deals with Paramount and Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in boxing are challenging the traditional model, reshaping how both sports operate.
PPV’s long-term viability has been questioned before.Yet recent media rights partnerships, changing audience habits and wider shifts in broadcasting have put the approach under renewed scrutiny. Its demise would reshape the business of boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA).
Why PPV?
Boxing was an early pioneer of PPV, beginning with closed-circuit telecasts in the 1960s and 1970s featuring stars such as Joe Louis and muhammad Ali. The latter’s third fight against Joe Frazier – the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ – was watched by an estimated 100 million people worldwide.
In the 1980s and 1990s,home television PPV replaced closed-circuit screenings. As then, most of the sport’s biggest fights have relied on the PPV model, wich is deemed essential to making mouthwatering matchups possible thanks to the additional revenue it generates to pay fighters and other stakeholders.
It’s easy to see why boxing has stuck with this model, where a single PPV fight can cost as much as US$90 in the US. Notably, Floyd Mayweather Jr’s win over Manny Pacquiao in 2015 broke records in the States, delivering 4.6 million buys and grossing US$410 million. In the UK, Sky Sports smashed the UK boxing PPV record three times in the 2010s, peaking at approximately 1.54 million for Anthony Joshua’s rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr in December 2019.
For the UFC, MMA’s leading promotion, PPV has also been highly lucrative. The 2.4 million PPV buys for UFC 229 in 2018, headlined by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, has been bettered only three times by professional boxing – one of which was McGregor’s crossover bout against Mayweather Jr in 2017.
Having adopted PPV so early, combat sports have conditioned fans to expect to pay a premium to watch the biggest events.
The crossover fight between boxing’s pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather and UFC star Conor McGregor in 2017 was a PPV smash hit (Image credit: Getty Images)
What’s changed?
Paramount seemingly came out of nowhere to poach the UFC’s US broadcast rights from ESPN, signing a seven-year deal worth US$1.1 billion annually from 2026.
The fact that the TKO Group-owned promotion was able to double the value of its rights deal wasn’t the only surprise. paramount+ will stream all 13 numbered UFC events and 30 Fight Night cards at no additional cost to subscribers,bringing the UFC’s PPV business to an end in its biggest market.
“The UFC wouldn’t have needed much convincing [to stop PPV],” says Patrick Crakes, a strategic media consultant who also worked closely with the UFC during his time as a senior executive at Fox.
“The pay-per-view business over the past four or five years has been in steady decline. it was the only route 30 years ago but there are now so many options.”
Crakes believes that the UFC is reducing the risk that comes with PPV through its lucrative Paramount deal, which also guarantees primetime exposure for select numbered events on
## Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom: PPV Still Has a Place in Boxing, But Must Be used Judiciously
Boxxer chief executive Ben Shalom believes there is still a place for PPV but it mustn’t be overused (Image credit: Getty Images)
Shalom is speaking shortly after Boxxer signed a new multi-year rights deal with the BBCfollowing the expiry of its four-year contract with Sky Sports at the end of June. The agreement brings professional boxing back to the public service broadcaster (PSB) for the first time in 20 years,starting with a British heavyweight title fight between Frazer Clarke and Jeamie Tshikeva on 25th October.
It is not an exclusive agreement.Boxxer still plans to stage marquee PPV events on other broadcasters, and its ties to DAZN and Alalshikh will continue.
The Clarke-Tshikeva encounter is taking place on the same evening as another heavyweight dustup between world contenders Joseph Parker and fabio wardley, which will cost UK£24.99 (US$33.62) to watch on DAZN PPV in Britian. Warren, who promotes Parker and Wardley, has called the clash “madness”.
“For Boxxer, our goal is to be dynamic given the opportunities out there,” continues Shalom.”We’ll use free-to-air to build stars, PPV for mega-events and digital to capture younger audiences.
“We believe we have the right balance and it is indeed built for a sustainable, successful future.”
The UFCsimultaneously occurring, has been able to ditch PPV in the US on its own terms. Competitors such as the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Singapore-based ONE Championship use a mix of distribution models depending on the territory.
The PFL, which acquired MMA promotion Bellator in 2023currently has a deal in the US with ESPN that inc
boxxer Secures Landmark BBC Partnership to Expand Boxing’s Reach
Boxxer,the British boxing promotion company,has announced a new partnership with the BBC to broadcast its fights,signaling a important shift in how boxing reaches audiences in the UK. This collaboration aims to broaden boxing’s appeal by leveraging the BBC’s extensive platform and an increasing focus on digital and direct-to-consumer platforms.
Expanding Boxing’s Accessibility
The partnership represents a departure from traditional boxing broadcasting models.Boxxer was founded with the intention of disrupting the status quo, and this deal with the BBC is a key step in achieving that goal. According to Boxxer, the collaboration will demonstrate the potential for growth within boxing when it’s accessible to a wider audience.
“Our partnership with the BBC will show how boxing has a lot of room to grow when it’s opened up to the widest possible audience,” a Boxxer representative stated in a SportsPro Media report.
The Changing Landscape of Boxing Broadcasting
Traditionally, boxing broadcasts have been dominated by pay-per-view and subscription-based channels. This model frequently enough limits access for casual fans and hinders the sport’s overall growth. The BBC partnership aims to address this by offering free-to-air coverage,possibly attracting a new generation of boxing enthusiasts.
This move aligns with a broader trend in sports broadcasting, where rights holders are exploring choice distribution methods, including partnerships with public service broadcasters and direct-to-consumer streaming services. The Guardian notes that this deal comes after a period of uncertainty for Boxxer,previously partnered with Sky Sports,and represents a strategic move to secure broader exposure.
Key Takeaways
* Increased Accessibility: The BBC partnership will make boxing more accessible to a wider audience through free-to-air broadcasting.
* Disrupting the Traditional Model: Boxxer is challenging the pay-per-view dominated boxing broadcast landscape.
* Strategic Shift: The deal represents a strategic move for Boxxer following the end of its partnership with Sky Sports.
* Growth Potential: Both Boxxer and the BBC believe this partnership will unlock significant growth potential for the sport in the UK.
Looking Ahead
This partnership between Boxxer and the BBC is a pivotal moment for boxing in the UK. By embracing a more accessible broadcasting model, the sport has the prospect to attract new fans, increase engagement, and secure a sustainable future. the success of this collaboration will likely influence broadcasting strategies across other combat sports and beyond.
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