The UFC can officially start fielding offers from potential broadcast partners on Tuesday after an exclusive negotiating window with ESPN comes to a close.

While the two sides reaching a new deal before April 15 always seemed highly unlikely due to the competitive nature of these broadcast rights deals, the UFC and ESPN have forged a successful partnership over the past seven years. That said, the UFC is reportedly seeking over $1 billion per year on a new broadcast rights deal — a massive increase from the $300 million per year average that ESPN currently pays.

It’s impossible to know how the whole situation plays out yet but ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro isn’t concerned about failing to reach a deal with the UFC before other networks and potential streaming partners can start bidding on the UFC.

“The exclusive negotiating window is expiring imminently, but I wouldn’t read too much into that,” Pitaro told Sports Business Journal. “We’re not hyper-focused on that window.

“We know that there’s going to be interest in the UFC and that’s great for the sport. It’s great for them. But we remain interested in trying to figure something out with those guys.”

The ever-changing landscape of broadcast rights deals puts the UFC in a very advantageous position with the company’s contract with ESPN coming to an end at the close of 2025.

No other major sports property was available until 2028 until ESPN actually cut ties with Major League Baseball back in February with that deal now also ending in 2025. Still, the UFC remains a very viable and profitable brand, especially due to the schedule where the promotion puts on events year round unlike baseball or most other professional sports that operate on a season long basis.

That reason alone has prevented Netflix from getting involved in the bidding for broadcast rights for other sports, but there’s no such concern with the UFC.

Originally signed as a five-year deal before two more years were tacked on with the addition of pay-per-view broadcast exclusivity, Pitaro had nothing but praise for his working relationship with the UFC, but he also couldn’t predict the future about how these negotiations will ultimately play out.

“UFC has been really good to ESPN,” Pitaro said. “We launched ESPN+ in April of 2018, and really the UFC property was the marquee property for ESPN+ at launch. Fast forward to today, and it still is the marquee property for ESPN+.

“We also at the same time believe that we have been a great partner to the UFC in terms of our promotion, in terms of our commitment to the sport of mixed martial arts and specifically the UFC across our studio programming across dot com, the ESPN app.”

While Pitaro paints a pretty picture when it comes to the symbiotic relationship between ESPN and the UFC, there have been some volatile moments as well.

Perhaps none bigger than the turmoil surrounding the UFC 313 broadcast where fans and even fighters grew increasingly frustrated over the inability to purchase or watch the pay-per-view. Afterwards, sources told MMA Fighting that UFC executives were absolutely “furious” over the technical difficulties that plagued the broadcast and that wasn’t the first time it’s happened.

There’s no telling how this all plays out just yet but serious discussions about where the UFC goes next start on Tuesday after the exclusive negotiating window with ESPN comes to a close.

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TOP STORIES

Return. Alexander Volkanovski is once again the UFC featherweight champion.

Poop. Paddy Pimblett had a vulgar response after a confrontation with Colby Covington.

Tears. Amanda Nunes is set to join the UFC Hall of Fame—and maybe make a comeback?—and she let the emotions flow in Miami.

Grudge. Yair Rodriguez wants a title shot next, not Diego Lopes, but knows he and Lopes are destined to fight.

Deal. Dana White talks turkey with a new UFC broadcast deal on the horizon.

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VIDEO STEW

On to the Next One: Matches to make after UFC 314.

UFC 314 post-fight show.

Relive the magic of the UFC 314 Watch Party.

UFC 314 post-fight scrums.

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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Next.

Back to the drawing board.

Flying high.

Let the tears flow, GOAT.

Game respect game.

The power of these glasses needs to be studied.

The consummate professional.

Yup.

Honestly, not a bad theory.

Face of a future lightweight champion?

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Gilbert Burns (22-8) vs. Michael Morales (17-0); UFC Vegas 106, May 17

Jamahal Hill (12-3, 1 NC) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-6, 1 NC); UFC Baku, June 21

Kyoji Horiguchi (34-5, 1 NC) vs. Tagir Ulanbekov (16-2); UFC Baku, June 21

Curtis Blaydes (18-5, 1 NC) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (12-2-1, 1 NC); UFC Baku, June 21

Ismail Naurdiev (24-7) vs. Jun Yong Park (18-6); UFC Baku, June 21

Hamdy Abdelwahab (6-0, 1 NC) vs. Mohammed Usman (10-4); UFC Baku, June 21

Irina Alekseeva (5-2) vs. Klaudia Sygula (6-2); UFC Baku, June 21

Melissa Mullins (7-1) vs. Daria Zhelezniakova (9-2); UFC Baku, June 21

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EXIT POLL

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