UFC Reaches a Deal with Amazon for Streaming Pay-Per-View Rights

The UFC has reached an agreement with Amazon to begin streaming pay-per-view broadcasts on their Prime Video service starting with UFC 222 this weekend.

The price point for the pay-per-views will start at $64.99 on Amazon Prime, although you don’t have to be a Prime subscriber to watch or purchase the UFC shows. Sports Business Daily initially reported the news on Wednesday.

Amazon will not have exclusive streaming rights to UFC pay-per-view broadcasts, but they will now become another outlet where viewers are able to watch the events. Amazon has been applauded for their quality streaming service after getting into sports rights deals in recent years including broadcasts of NFL games.

This new deal comes on the heels of the UFC shopping their television rights contract as their current deal with FOX Sports will end at the close of 2018.

FOX Sports has already made several overtures to keep the UFC on their network with offers reportedly in the $200 to $250 million per year range already on the table.

Amazon getting into business with the UFC on pay-per-view broadcasts only further fuels speculation that the online giant may want to also get a piece of the television rights deal as well. Amazon has started aggressively pursuing more and more live sports rights and while the UFC is not likely to sign an exclusive deal with the streaming outlet, there’s a possibility they could land a piece of the package.

UFC 222 is already available for purchase on Amazon.com currently.