Why UFC PPV Buys Are Going Down: A Deep Dive into the Numbers and the Narrative
Why UFC PPV Buys Are Going Down: A Deep Dive into the Numbers and the Narrative
By Ali Hammad April 28, 2025 21:20
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has long been the gold standard for mixed martial arts, but a worrying trend is emerging in 2025: pay-per-view (PPV) buys are plummeting. Once a reliable juggernaut with blockbuster events regularly breaking 500,000 or even a million buys, recent reports suggest most UFC PPVs are now struggling to clear 300,000 purchases per event-a far cry from the promotion’s heyday. So, what’s driving this decline? The answer is a complex mix of broadcast decisions, pricing, star power, and changing fan expectations.
The ESPN+ Effect: Reduced Visibility and Frustrated Fans
The UFC’s exclusive deal with ESPN+ was meant to modernize the product, but it’s come with unintended consequences. Since moving PPVs behind the ESPN+ paywall, mainstream visibility has dropped sharply. ESPN has largely stopped airing UFC events on its flagship cable channels like ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC, relegating the sport to a streaming-only audience in the U.S. As New York Post’s Erich Richter reports, this shift has led to a “steep decline” in mainstream popularity and PPV buys, with ESPN no longer treating the UFC as a marquee property. “If ESPN is not showing it on their mainstream cable network…it seems or would indicate that ESPN no longer sees the UFC as a marquee or main event for their product,” Richter noted. This has left many casual fans unaware of events or unwilling to jump through extra hoops to purchase them.
Rising Prices and the Piracy Problem
Another major factor is the relentless increase in PPV prices. Since the ESPN deal began in 2018, the cost of a UFC PPV has surged from $59.99 to $79.99 as of 2023. This aggressive pricing has not only alienated fans but also fueled a dramatic rise in piracy. TKO Group Holdings president Mark Shapiro acknowledged in 2024 that “aggressive” price hikes have led to “an even higher number of pirated cards.” Many fans, especially younger viewers accustomed to streaming, simply aren’t willing to pay nearly $80 per event-especially when there are so many throughout the year.
Oversaturation and Diminished Event Quality
The UFC’s strategy of running events nearly every weekend has also diluted the product. With so many Fight Nights and PPVs, each individual card feels less special. Fans and analysts alike have pointed out that too many cards are headlined by journeymen or unranked fighters, with the Apex facility in Las Vegas often hosting events with little crowd energy or excitement. “Stop booking uninteresting fight night main events, sign better heavyweights…make it special to be in the UFC again,” one fan suggested, echoing a growing sentiment that the endless stream of events has hurt the brand’s prestige. Even fighters with PPV points in their contracts have complained about lower payouts, a direct result of shrinking buys.
Lack of Superstar Power and Big Fights
PPV success in combat sports has always been driven by star power. A 2017 study found that a handful of “celebrity fighters”-think Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, or Brock Lesnar-were responsible for over 60% of the variation in PPV buys. Today, the UFC is struggling to build new stars with crossover appeal. The lightweight and heavyweight divisions, once stacked with household names, are now thin, with champions like Jon Jones fighting only twice in five years and big fights like Jones vs. Tom Aspinall still unmade.
Technical Issues and Fan Frustration
Recent technical failures, such as the widespread outage during UFC 313, have only added to the frustration. Fans unable to access events they paid for are less likely to buy again, and UFC executives are reportedly “furious” with ESPN over these mishaps.
The Bottom Line
The UFC’s PPV model is facing a perfect storm: rising prices, reduced visibility, lack of blockbuster stars, oversaturation, and technical headaches. Unless the promotion can adapt-by making big fights, building new stars, and perhaps rethinking its broadcast and pricing strategy-PPV buys may continue to slide. As one industry insider put it, “Even a juggernaut like the UFC isn’t immune to a rough patch.” The numbers don’t lie, and right now, they’re sounding the alarm.
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