Guggenheim Media Analyst Michael Morris discussed UFC’s media rights deal with Paramount on the “Sports Media Podcast.” Morris said from the investor perspective, the UFC-Paramount deal is “very significant in an annual dollar amount.” Morris: “We’re talking over a billion dollars a year on average that’s committed to this. And we understand the company’s been very clear about what they’re trying to do. They want to make sure they’re getting younger. They want to make sure that they’re sort of fueling a more robust media property as opposed to say just a broadcast network.” He added, “I think all of the media companies need to do this now. You’ve got to be a streamer, you’ve got to have mass reach.” Morris explained that numbers such as subscribers and engagement “can be a little bit slippery sometimes.” Morris: “So I think in general, the number of subscriber additions that Paramount+ had in the most recent quarter was not as robust as maybe the bulls would’ve expected. I think on an adjusted basis, they added about two million subscribers, certainly nothing to sneeze at, but when you’re talking about the type of financial commitment that they’re making, the street wants to see how that’s driving performance” (“Sports Media Podcast,” SBJ, 5/21).
UFC rights pact signals Paramount’s big streaming bet
