Endeavor
A new report has revealed an update on WWE and UFC pursuing a combined streaming deal.
As previously reported, Endeavor announced on Monday that it has purchased WWE and will merge it into one sports and entertainment company with the UFC.
This marks a historic day in WWE history with the McMahon family no longer owning the company, but it also should have huge ramifications on the future of the promotion.
In an interview with Axios, WWE President Nick Khan revealed that WWE and UFC will pursue eparate media rights negotiations for linear TV, but there could be an opportunity to pursue a combined streaming deal.
WWE’s current streaming deal with NBCUniversal’s Peacock expires in 2026, while UFC’s media deal with ESPN expires in 2025. UFC’s deal gives ESPN+ the exclusive rights to all the UFC pay-per-view matches.
When asked whether WWE and UFC would consider a combined streaming rights deal once those agreements expire, Khan said:
“the good folks at NBCU have been tremendous partners to us. So let’s see what they have to say.”
Further into the interview, Khan was asked about both companies’ TV deals, which will be negotiated at different times. WWE’s current linear TV rights deals with NBCUniversal and Fox Corp. expire next year, while UFC signed a five-year contract with ESPN in 2019 that was extended through 2025.
Noting that the companies would be pursuing those TV deals differently, Nick Khan stated:
“The most important thing is that NBC and Fox, from a WWE point of view, feel respected in the process. So we’re going to enter those conversations with them.”
Referring to the agreement that gives NBCUniversal and FOX the right of first refusal to re-up deals with WWE, Khan added:
“[W]e’re going to see what that looks like and hopefully it’s robust, and we don’t get out of the “right of first window,” and “we strike a deal with each of them.”
“If we’re not able to do that, we’ll see what the marketplace has to say and ultimately choose the right partner for the WWE audience in our shareholders.”
WrestleTalk readers can follow the developing Endeavor story using this link.
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