PFL, an MMA promotion looking to claw away some of UFC’s market share in the growing combat sports space, is seemingly on the move.
After signing multiple media rights deals with ESPN, the first of which dates back to 2019, PFL’s return to the Worldwide Leader appears very unlikely, according to a report by Adam Stern in Sports Business Journal. The news comes shortly after PFL CEO John Martin publicly ripped ESPN on MMA journalist Ariel Helwani’s popular podcast last month. Martin was not pleased with the level of promotion ESPN was giving to PFL, particularly since ESPN is no longer in business with the UFC.
With ESPN seemingly out of the picture, the fledgling MMA promotion has reportedly held discussions with Netflix, Fox, and other potential broadcast partners about a new deal. Martin did not wholly rule out a return to ESPN, with Stern reporting “he would never say never.” But the CEO’s comments would suggest that, at least for now, that ship has sailed. PFL exited its exclusive negotiating period with ESPN without a deal.
Netflix and Fox would both be interesting media partners for the promotion. Netflix, of course, has invested heavily in combat sports as a major part of its overall sports strategy. The streamer has put on numerous fights, including one between influencer Jake Paul and legendary boxer Mike Tyson, which it says 60 million households watched worldwide.
Fox has been out of the MMA game for a minute, having most recently aired a UFC package in 2018. However, Fox could certainly be open to a PFL deal at the right price, considering it still has two cable sports networks — FS1 and FS2 — to program. Fox has also been willing to utilize primetime windows on its main broadcast network for live sports, which could help PFL from an exposure standpoint.
It’ll be an uphill battle for the promotion to take market share from UFC, but Martin remains optimistic. PFL has 230 fighters under contract and, despite ESPN’s lack of marketing, has seen ratings growth this year. The promotion’s next media deal will be critical for its future success.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.