Miesha (photo) hopes that fighters are better paid. Photo: Strikeforce/Disclosure
In 2019, the UFC will be broadcast on ESPN channels and also on the internet, on ESPN+. The deal was worth 1,5 billion dollars. The Ultimate fighter, on her radio show, “MMA Tonight” stated that the agreement represents an evolution for the UFC.
“It's incredible. It's a big leap. Just when you think the promotion has reached its ceiling, so to speak, they seem to break through and move on to new levels. This is massive. This is a huge transition for the company and I think everyone is pretty excited about it,” Tate explained.
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She believes that ESPN offers many opportunities for the UFC to grow and take the event to new places. “The fact that it's a five-year deal and there's so much that ESPN has to offer. This is not just a road venture, there are multiple paths, many opportunities for the UFC to expand in different shapes and forms and really grow the platform. We are putting MMA on the map in new places and growing the sport, which is amazing to see,” she said.
Excited, Miesha Tate hopes that the UFC's partnership with ESPN will also benefit fighters. She wants salaries to be higher from 2019.
“I can only imagine that this will lead to fighters wanting more money, deserving more money. Without the fighters, the UFC cannot make this type of agreement. The fighters are the workers. The fighters are the ones who make this happen, they are the artists, they are the ones who make the UFC and they deserve to be compensated. It's a short career and it's certainly hard on your body – it probably takes years off our lives – so I think it's reasonable to ask for fair compensation,” she concluded.
UFC president Dana White confirms that the agreement will benefit the fighters, although not in a direct and tangible way. “Dana White, when asked how this ESPN deal will benefit UFC fighters: “ESPN has shown its commitment to not only the UFC, but mine. The amount of promotion that our athletes will receive now, and what ESPN is doing with this new platform, is going to be huge for the fighters,” said ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto.
Dana White, when asked how this ESPN deal will benefit UFC fighters: “ESPN has shown its commitment to not only UFC, but MMA. The amount of promotion our athletes are going to get now, and what ESPN is doing with this new platform, it's going to be very big for the fighters.”
- Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) 23 May 2018
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