Ted, Ari and Netflix's New Sports Bloodlust
Why were the duo in a clinch at UFC 300? It might be because MMA makes so much sense as Netflix's next live bet
Last Saturday night during the UFC 300, TKO and Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel had his usual ringside seat to the mixed-martial arts (MMA) spectacle. Right next to him, though, was a new friend to the octagon: Ted Sarandos. (Hat tip to David Spade of all people for capturing the Netflix co-CEO obstructing his view.)
Sarandos thanked UFC and its president Dana White on his Instagram Stories, but what he didn’t mention was that he may very well have been there to inspect the merchandise up close. (A UFC spokesperson declined to comment.)
While sports media-rights watchers circle the NBA and its current negotiations, speculating what, if anything, Netflix may want for itself (the In Season Tournament? The Play-In games?), UFC’s media rights are only months away from being renegotiated. MMA is not only global like the NBA, but it’d be cheaper than pro basketball and much like UFC and WWE making sense within its parent company, TKO Holdings, ultimate fighting might also be a perfect pairing with Netflix’s just-acquired rights to stream WWE Raw starting next January. (Netflix did not respond to a request for comment.)
Also in January 2025, the UFC will start the process of determining its next rights deal (or deals). In 2018, UFC negotiated a $1.5 billion all-inclusive media rights deal with ESPN, which expires at the end of 2025. TKO president Mark Shapiro told investors in March that it is the company’s “preference to stay at Disney” — while just happening to add that three different platforms had already reached out about UFC switching services.