November 27, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE/UFC TV contract negotiations, Survivor Series review, more

Sports Business Journal had a story talking about both UFC and WWE’s television negotiations for its new deals that expire at the end of 2018 and in September 2019 respectively.

The television deals in both cases are the single most important deals for both companies, since they would guarantee their largest revenue stream and likely for multiple years. There are a lot of changes in the television industry, with the fear that television will be losing market share to streaming and belt-tightening will result, and thus the huge rights fees would be a thing of the past. But all indications are that isn’t the case.

While not in the story, another key is that Ari Emmanuel, who owns UFC, is also WWE’s representative when it comes to these television talks.

The story indicated that FOX, which paid $140 million this year and pays $160 million next year for UFC programming, has been willing to up that number to a $200 million average on a multi-year basis in its next contract.

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