SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE and UFC having a combined streaming deal in the future is a possiblity.
In a new interview with Axios, WWE CEO Nick Khan said a combined streaming deal is a possiblity in the future. WWE and UFC will have separte TV deals in the future. Regarding the possiblity of a combined streaming deal, Khan said, “The good folks at NBCU [Peacock’s parent company] have been tremendous partners to us. So let’s see what they have to say.”
WWE’s streaming deal with Peacock ends in 2026 and UFC’s current deal with ESPN+ ends in 2025. In regards to WWE’s TV deal, Khan said he wanted to respect WWE’s current partners Fox and NBC. “The most important thing is that NBC and Fox, from a WWE point of view, feel respected in the process,” said Khan. “So, we’re going to enter those conversations with them.”
Khan also stated that NBCU and Fox had right of first refusal when it came to new TV deals for WWE programming. “We’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,” said Khan.
Khan said there are other options if they are unable to strike a TV deal with their current partners during the right of first refusal window. “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 and our shareholders,” said Khan.
WWE will continue its relationship with Saudi Arabia despite Endeavors reluctance to do business with them in the past. “Our relationship with The Kingdom is a terrific partnership for which we’re appreciative of, and you know, nothing in terms of anyone else’s prior experience will affect that,” said Khan.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.