The new UFC digital network set to launch next month is slated to be a subscription service at $9.99 per month. The digital network named “UFC Fight Pass” will show all overseas fights and will eventually have the full Zuffa library for subscribers. An official announcement by Zuffa is due this week.
Bloody Elbow, MMA Mania among others picked up on a tweet by Ross Finklestein which showed a screenshot promoting the UFC Fight Pass. An official announcement will occur later this week.
The digital network is a way to monetize the company’s continued expansion globally. While Zuffa plans to hold events in new locations across the globe, it wants to focus on localizing its events instead of conducting events to cater to North American television. Thus, the first live card on the Fight Pass will be UFC Fight Night 34 in January that will take place in Singapore starting 3:30amPT/6:30am ET. It’s unlikely that anyone would get up to watch this card although you could re-watch it later on the Fight Pass.
Payout Perspective:
Anyone interested in purchasing the Fight Pass? At $10 per month, only the biggest UFC fans would pay another $120 a year in addition to the $55 or $60 they pay in UFC PPVs. But for the company, the foray into a digital network is an interesting strategy that may pay off while accomplishing the strategy of expanding into new markets while monetizing the product for those interested in seeing these overseas events.
You can bet I will have it. I am very surprised and glad they set such a reasonable pricing point. I was expected 19.99 or 24.99. I would pay $10 just to have access to the fight library. As someone who picks who wins fights and bet on fights. It is very important to have fight tape of each guy. There are just to many guys fighting these days to remember the many important details that effect a fight from each guy like I used to be able to do. But to get live events. That’s just a bonus!
I fucking LOVE IT!!!!
We get to pay for shit we used to get for free, this is the best news since WEC went from free on Versus to PPV!!!!
Fucking love the UFC, just take my paycheck already.
Interesting. I’m sure some people will decide it’s worth the price. Not anyone I know, but I’m sure they are out there.
This move seems entirely designed to squeeze an extra $120/yr out of the most hardcore UFC fans.
It will be interesting to see how many people actually subscribe. I expect it will be quite low, but every extra bit of revenue helps.
Biggest problem I have with Fight Pass is, that it is supposedly focused only on north-american customers and someone like me (from Europe) cannot buy it. So, not only I cannot legally watch UFC now, I cannot do it even in future with worldwide web service. Big bummer. And even events from my region (European world tour) won’t be accessible to me – even though there are big markets (for example Poland) where guys would kill for chance to see event from Lodz live legally somewhere (not everyone can make it live)
I would also be interested what “eventually” means with full library. Weeks, months or years? It is a great tool for bettors, that is definitely truth. At the same time, UFC seriously undermines their own development and growth with their library policy. Say I have someone who hears about MMA for the first time and asks me, what is MMA or about some MMA great. And I probably won’t be even able to show him (legally) one highlight with Anderson Silva or someone awesome like that. Hell, I remember that what me got hooked on MMA was watching Fedor in his days in PRIDE and then watching some of his great highlights which were really awe inspiring and goosebumps making. But I’m a computer guy, I can get to content like that. Average person cannot.
But most controversial is that thing about prelims – that 1 or two fights, which were lately (2,5 years) showed for free on FB / Youtube are now moved to this paid service. Hmm. I wouldn’t be really glad being figher on these prelims. FB/Youtube hasn’t got big ratings, but it is way WAY more that UFC Pass will do and I’m pretty sure, that these prelims fighters won’t be getting piece of Fight Pass pie. And as Jake is saying – it is paying for something you were used to get for free.
Win win for the UFC, this is just riding the gravy the train. They’re picking up extra cash from the 2-5% of the mma fan base who is ultra hardcore.
Only a retard would pay for this crap.
Only a retard…
Hahaha
@ Caidel
I am pretty sure you can legally watch the UFC in Europe (unless it’s banned in your country like I think it is in Germany and even then I think they still show it online) but it will be on TV in the countries that do show the UFC.
I think they are trying to see what they can legally air, for example Showtime might have rights to Strikeforce & Elite XC or they might have to edit out a bunch of sponsors that are now banned.
I’m sure fights will still be available to watch on the UFC’s youtube page, like they are now with Anderson, Weidman & Ronda, they will just delete them after a few weeks/months and put up other free fights when they are trying to promote other fighters.
Jake
What exactly was you already getting for free? The UFC is doing an extra 20 events next year that would otherwise not been seen. You are coming off as a cry baby noob! Anyone who has followed this sport more than a year or so has seen the uproar that comes when the UFC tells its fans they cant see a fight. People used to bitch about single fights on the undercard that wasn’t shown. The UFC found ways so we can see basically every fight on a card. It didn’t used to be like that. Now the UFC is running events in other countries. Dana said as recently as the other day. Those events are not made for the US fans and they cant justify putting them on TV here. The production is to expensive to stream it online for free. As I said telling REAL fans they cant see the fights isn’t an option. So the UFC packaged a deal that I think is very reasonable and it actually worth pay more than they are charging.
BTW there is nothing on PPV that was in the WEC for free. The UFC has taken those weight class to another level. Even if the same fighters headline a PPV. The match ups and the card strength and production are light years beyond WEC. Not to mention the hype behind each fighter is much more than it ever was in WEC. Keep in mind. I have seen many UFC stars in small shows before they made it big. Does that mean Cain Velasquez shouldn’t headline a PPV because he used to fight on cheap low level fights cards early in his career? OF course not that would be stupid.
LIke Dana said. These cards are not geared towards US fans. They are doing events for China and other local nations. Over the years the UFC has tried to make fans happy by giving them access to all fights. Something they didn’t do as far back as just a few years ago. Fans used to blow up if they didn’t get a fight even if it sucked. This is how the facebook fights come about. They have even worked out last minute deals with Ion to carry prelims just so people didn’t miss fights.
So now I have the option to see these fights for a very reasonable price and get access to UFC library? How is that a bad thing? IF you don’t like it. Don’t buy it! Anyone who thinks this is a bad option to have out there is a fool! Those China events and other events are going to run whether you can see them or not. It comes down to if you want to see them, wan the option to see them, or cant see them and have no option to see them.
When they put your favorite fighter as the headliner on one of these cards. You are going to be glad you have the option to get this service for that month.
@duck: In Europe, it depends on country. Of course, UK has its BT deal (which is very important, since most of the event rips are created there :), Sweden has some deal, Italy maybe… but then there is a lot of coutries (mine included) where UFC simply has no TV deal. Even with a lot of foreign sports channels on satelite or cable which I have available, still bad luck and no UFC anywhere. I would really love list of coutries UFC is available, since sometime Rogan or Goldie announce things like we are in hundred something countries – and I’m pretty interested, how they get that number since I think its basically bogus.
Strikeforce for example previously had deal with Eurosport so it was accessible there for a lot of fans across the Europe (with local commentators!), but UFC has no such thing.
@BrainSmasher: Yeah, deals are for foreign cards. It is very baffing to me, that foreigners cannot buy them then… If there is event in China (which will be broadcasted in China according the China TV deal) and you’re the Chinese living in wrong part of China (where there is no TV deal coverage), you’re screwed.
@BrainSmasher: About WEC: I actually liked their events a lot and liked their production maybe more than of the UFC. Whole another level is basically bullshit. (they have same guys, same matchmaker so division is exactly the same and production itself is subjective thing). WEC intro was way better than Gladiator UFC one.
Free events never have the same production value as PPV’s do. That goes for UFC free events too. I lived WEC. It had a different flavor. But even after the UFC took it over. They didn’t put the same amount of money in it as a PPV. Even the venues are much bigger and better than in WEC. Also it is the same company the UFC uses for production. But it isn’t the same people all the time. Remember the UFC has ran shows on the same day before in different parts of the world. They have TUF’s going. It may be the same company but there is different teams with in the company. You better believe the UFC PPV’s get the 1st team while WEC was getting 2nd or 3rd team. The UFC always had a higher quality feel to it while WEC had a more rugged feel. Which was different and a good change of pace. But not the same. Either way my point stands. Its crazy to expect those guys to always be on free tv just because they were at one point. The entire point of free tv is to build to doing PPV. As we saw with WEC at the end and we are seeing with Bellator and Elite and SF set as their long term goal. That’s why the UFC is pushing Mighty Mouse and others on FOX.
$120 per year to watch subpar cards at ungodly hours… 3:30 AM???!!!
GTFO here…..
Other than the UK MMA is virtually unknown in western Europe. How can you have a sport that has events that don’t cater to every fan?? Sounds like some bull crap spin to me. The only reason I would personally buy this package is to watch the UFC when I am traveling over seas, but to my understanding its only for USA ip addresses?? Making people pay for classic UFC fights in some library that is barley 10 years old is a joke. Big mistake, very few of those fights in the library are relevant to todays fans. Its not like watching old Ali fights or old Marciano fights, there is very little nostalgic value imo. How many times can you watch Chuck Lidel run around the cage? The WEC was great! A smaller production with great fights that wasn’t too hard to keep up with. I was a huge fan of it on spike, those were the days I guess. I’m sure some idiot sold them on the idea that they would get all those viewers on a UFC PPV. Merging it just watered it down and made it more confusing and harder to keep up with and watch, and of course the cost. MMA will never catch on in a lot of countries, just like soccer didn’t catch on with American fans and NFL Football didn’t catch on in Europe. Hey but go a head and try Too bad the American fans have to subsidize all the bad business decisions the clowns at the table at Zuffa keep making! Must be a room full of egos and yes men.
What bad business decisions? Do you expect anyone to take you serious? I have heard internet know it alls put down every decision the UFC has made since the 90’s. They are always wrong and the UFC has turned to gold in the process. So where are these bad decisions? Don’t you mean decisions YOU personally don’t like? Or decisions that YOU, with no idea of their goals, intentions, and financials, think are unsuccessful?
A business’ job is to grow and increase in value. The UFC has continued to grow. So by all means show me proof of their bad business decisions!
Well unless we see a quarterly financial statement or and end of year statement from the UFC no one really knows what decisions are bad or good, what is profitable and what is losing money. We can only speculate. It seems that every day the UFC has some new hair brained idea that they are trying. If they were doing so well why keep changing and trying new things? Like a struggling restaurant that keeps changing its menu, its not a good sign. So I guess what you are saying is the UFC has run its course in the USA and now has to grow in other counties. A good business model is to keep your over head low, not borrow what you cant pay back and move slowly. IMO I don’t think the UFC has done any of these 3 key things. I like good fights which for the most part the UFC provides, I don’t like hype bull crap geared to a 14 year olds mentality. Oh and trust me boxing does it as well. But there are more than one game in town for boxing, I can also watch the PPV events on demand on HBO and showtime. The UFC basically doesn’t let anyone see a fight unless they pay a fee for a one time viewing. It just seems that every time we turn around its more money. Still waiting for a stadium super fight that they still haven’t been able to pull off.
They are not “trying new things” they are expanding. I thought you were smarter than that! No I never said they have ran their course and have to go to other countries. Since you are new to the sport I will educate you. The UFC’s goal has been to expend since day 1. They went to the UK just a handful of events into owning the UFC. They went back with their European expansion during their peak in the US. This shows it wasn’t out of desperation but by plan. You cant run a successful business waiting until things go down hill before expanding. Their expansion has been successful. They have done great gates all over the world and have many tv deals because of this expansion. Lets not forget that Brazil is booming and they are selling out many events there and have a very large TV deal. All due to “expansion”.
PPV sales and Tv ratings have nothing to do with business decisions. They are mostly star driven and come and go depending on fighter personalities and who wins and loses. The decision to sign with FOX was a no brainer good business decision. You don’t turn down 90 million per year to give them mid level fight cards. Even if they could get better ratings somewhere else like SPike. The point of ratings are to make money. They are making way more money now than they ever were before. They will also make a lot of extra money on this Digital Network. People want access to those over seas fights and are willing to pay for them. That is money left on the table if they don’t go after it. Which would be a poor business decision. They once again did the right thing. JUst as they did when they created the UFC fan club that charges fans hundreds of dollars just for the right to buy tickets early. Again they have made million off that each year.
The only thing they have done that was even questionable was them moving from FX and having to endure the growing pains of FS1. BUt that wasn’t their decision and they had no control over it. So it wasn’t any business decision they made.
Thanks for the education in middles dribble! You should work for the Whitehouse with your delusional outlook and spin on things. I’m sure your medication has a lot to do with it. I am sure your one sided drool can fool someone who doesn’t know any better. No one can be that blind and stupid to defend and spin everything the UFC does, so you are either a complete medicated moron or you work for the UFC. I probably think its both! Looks like you are getting paid by the word too. I on the other hand and most the people who post here are realistic and call a duck a duck when its quaking. Time will tell, and it wont be long, prediction, within 3 years the UFC folds or is bought out by Fox. They have failed miserably to be the fastest growing sport. 90 million lol sounds like a bad deal for Fox that’s like around 1 million dollars for every viewer you nim rod, and you have no idea what the back end costs are. Keep up the spin
There’s no question I’m willing to pay that. It’s not like you’re locked in for a year or whatever, right? The London and Singapore cards are MORE than worth it (war Lim!). Think about it… $10 is basically a dollar or two more than your average lunch at Mickey D’s.
So these fights on UFC fight pass, you won’t be able to watch them on TV?