• Loading stock data...
Friday, March 29, 2024
2024 Best Venues nominations are open now through April 8! Submit Now

UFC Pairs Return of Live Action With Revamped Fight Pass Service

  • UFC Fight Pass features a redesign and rollout of new original series and classic fights. UFC 249 sold separately.
  • The service introduced six new shows to subscribers in April with plans to launch more in May.
Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Strategic changes made to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s OTT service at the end of 2019 have been put to the test without its usual catalog of live combat sports.

So far, UFC Fight Pass has answered the bell, according to Crowley Sullivan, general manager and vice president of the direct-to-consumer streaming service. And now, combat sports are slowly coming back.

Countless UFC fans are expected to tune in on May 9 to watch UFC 249 on ESPN+. Fight Pass will again air preliminary fights before the pay-per-view in the U.S. and stream the entire event in select countries around the world for a separate fee. 

Fans can also expect shows like “UFC On The Line,” “UFC Unfiltered,” and “UFC Countdown” on Fight Pass to help promote UFC’s return event.

Fight Pass normally airs live fights from more than 30 other promotions across mixed martial arts, boxing, and grappling. During the coronavirus pandemic, only former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen’s Submission Underground has continued live competition. 

Fight Pass delivered live events to subscribers on 250 different nights in 2019 and was set to duplicate those efforts before the pandemic hit, according to the service. 

“We’re already deep into discussions with all of our partners about how and when live events can come back,” Sullivan said. “There will not be any live events that go on Fight Pass platform until we are 100% certain we’re abiding by any and all health and standard guidelines in a region.”

READ MORE: UFC Continues Social Media Expansion With Snapchat Partnership

Fight Pass unveiled better search functionality, higher video quality, and offline viewing for fans on December 4, and they’ve proved critical to the OTT platform’s performance during the pandemic. The new technology also helps the UFC better track user activity on its platform. Overall, changes to Fight Pass took roughly 18 months to implement.

“Prior to this overhaul, Fight Pass was a good serviceable platform. However, it dated back to back to its launch in 2013,” Sullivan said. “We’re able to have a much better peek into all of the data related to our subscriber base. Who’s watching what? When are they watching it?”

The back-end improvements also came with a commitment to producing more original series on Fight Pass. The service introduced six new shows to subscribers in April with plans to launch more in May.

READ MORE: New Orleans Pelicans, Saints Serving Fans At Home With New Content Series

Newly-released content includes shows like “Fightlore” – a series focused on untold stories across UFC – and “Year of the Fighter,” which documents the coming of age of the sport’s biggest stars. 

“Live events are the foundation on which Fight Pass is built. When current offerings eventually are combined with what will be the return of live events, they are going to present subscribers and fans out there with really an unparalleled experience,” Sullivan said. 

New original series on Fight Pass now join the service’s 30,000-plus assets in its video library of classic fights, UFC-related television programming, and – as of earlier this year – 60 classic mixed martial art films. Fight Pass costs subscribers $9.99 per month.

Sullivan declined to provide viewership or subscriber trend data during the pandemic, but said Fight Pass content has resonated well with subscribers. According to Deadline, the service had 400,000 subscribers in 2018.

“At a time when people are searching for ways to experience content, there’s been a clear demonstration, fight pass resonates in the marketplace,” Sullivan said. “We’re in a good spot right now with every reason to be optimistic about the remainder of this year and beyond.” 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

WWE Borrows From UFC, Puts On-Mat Advertising in the Ring

The wrestling outfit is learning from its MMA counterpart’s playbook under the TKO Group.

Lowered Expectations? Fox’s CEO Tamps Down New Streaming Service Hype

Lachlan Murdoch details a five-year projection of five million subscribers.

The Super Bowl of Super Bowls: All Sports All the Time in Vegas

This year’s weeklong slate of events features more sideshows than ever before.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Why the Timberwolves Sale was Called Off

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) and Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) react in overtime against the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center.
March 27, 2024

‘An Expensive Game’: March Madness and NIL Collectives Are Intertwined

At schools nationwide, collectives are fueling NCAA tournament runs and vice versa.
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (22) waits to be announced in the starting lineup against West Virginia in a NCAA Tournament round of 32 game Monday, March 25, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
March 26, 2024

The Women’s Trading Card Market Is Overlooked. Can Caitlin Clark Change That?

Traditionally, women’s sports cards have been a marginal part of collectibles.
The Sports Illustrated cover signed by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, February 27, 2019, at Don & Charlie's, 7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. Don Charlie S
March 24, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About the Ongoing ‘Sports Illustrated’ Saga

Understanding the strange state of affairs for the nearly 70-year-old publication.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Adidas
Multiple - USA Careers
Spotify
Multiple - USA Careers

‘Good Morning Football’ Beginning Mysterious Timeout Before L.A. Move

Friday is the final broadcast of ‘Good Morning Football’ from New York.
March 28, 2024

Jets Owner Blasts ‘False’ Reporting From League-Owned Outlet

League owners and NFL Media rarely criticize each other.
March 28, 2024

NBA Wants to Cash in With Foreign Investors in More Ways Than One

Sovereign wealth funds can invest in NBA teams.
Sponsored

How Daily Fantasy Sports Solved NBA Fantasy

The remarkable growth of the #1 Discord sports server in the world.
March 28, 2024

Late Rush Keeps Three MLB Teams on TV, but Revenue Issues Linger

The Diamondbacks, Padres, and Rockies continue to navigate a post-RSN landscape.
March 27, 2024

NFL Executive Questions Logic Behind Streaming Giants’ Joint Venture

The ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox alliance is expected to launch this fall.
exclusive
March 26, 2024

Threats, Demands, a Lawsuit, and a Website in Limbo: Inside the Chaos at ‘SI’

‘Sports Illustrated’ has new publishers, but the transition has been messy at best.
March 25, 2024

Inside the Proxy Fight for the Future of Disney (and ESPN)

Dissident investor Nelson Peltz is seeking two board seats in an upcoming election.