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By Cassandra Cousineau, LVSportsBiz.com UFC/MMA Writer
No other major league sports organization generates more of its own original programming than Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Championship.
LVSportsBiz.com sat down with Tucker Greene, UFC senior vice president of original content, to discuss UFC’s strategy.
“When I started 12 years ago,” Greene said, “we were primarily repackaging archival content for TV. Today, we’re at the forefront of original storytelling in sports media.”
UFC is known for producing network-quality home-grown content like UFC Embedded, Dana White Contender Series and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).
“Our growth mirrors the rising consumer appetite for original content, especially in a sport as visceral and narrative-rich as MMA,” Greene said.
One of UFC’s production hallmark qualities is the ability to be nimble and turn on a dime when generating content depending on fighters’ changes.
For example, UFC star fighter Conor McGregor was set to headline UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena Saturday, but he was out with a broken toe and did not fight Michael Chandler.
In response to McGregor’s absence, Greene said, “We pivot swiftly. Our teams excel at recalibrating narratives to spotlight new matchups, maintaining viewer excitement.”
After Las Vegas brothers and casino executives Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta purchased UFC in 2001 for $2 million from Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG), they formed Zuffa to operate the MMA promotion and enlisted Dana White as president. They were among the first in the sports industry to realize the value of establishing an over-the-top (OTT) streaming service to house all of that content.
For example, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), now airing on ESPN+, first premiered on Spike TV and has completed 31 seasons since debuting January 17, 2004. The show documents MMA fighters in Las Vegas who train and aspire to win lucrative UFC contracts.
After its initial success, including a finale that garnered a robust viewership of 2.5 million, Spike TV revisited negotiations and funded a second season, moving away from its original pay-to-play approach.
“These record-breaking numbers demonstrate the growing popularity of UFC and mixed martial arts,” commented Doug Herzog, president of Spike TV at the time.
White said TUF’s reality show format was integral to brand awareness and the bottom line.
“It’s always been the blueprint for us on building talent and creating stars,” White said. “That format, the best always rises to the top no matter what.”
White, in fact, plays a central role to UFC’s original content.
“Dana is not just our executive; he’s our creative heartbeat,” Greene said. “Really, unlike traditional sports executives, Dana brings an unapologetic authenticity that resonates with our audience.”
He noted, “With Dana’s leadership, we’ve cultivated a global-local approach. UFC Connected, for instance, spotlights regional fighters tailored for diverse markets like Brazil and China.”
While specific revenue figures from individual shows like TUF are not always disclosed, UFC’s overall revenue from media rights, including broadcasts and streaming deals, has seen substantial growth. In recent years, UFC’s media rights deals have amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The expansion into streaming platforms like ESPN+ has been particularly lucrative, with the UFC securing a multi-year deal worth over $1.5 billion for exclusive broadcasting rights.
“UFC is the main character. Our brand is synonymous with unpredictability and excitement,” Greene said. This ethos, he believes, fuels their global appeal and operational agility.
UFC has used it original programming to help become global, billion-dollar sports organization. There is also a direct correlation between how a laser focus on social media has directly fed into original programming and revenue impact.
While impressive viewership and engagement metrics like 40 million reality show views and 112 videos with over 10 million views may come off as PR propaganda, a closer look at the numbers shows a creator could make anywhere between $10 million to $50 million from just one platform, according to YouTube metrics. On a broader scale, White aggressively embraces digital as a business tool more than most sports leaders..
APEX, UFC’s state-of-the-art production facility, has also proven pivotal for original programming such as Dana White’s Contender Series and UFC Fight Nights.
“It ensured continuity,” Greene said. “While others halted, we continued, reinforcing UFC’s operational prowess.” The 130,000-square-foot facility also has over 50,000 square feet of production space and is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.
Looking ahead, Greene anticipates groundbreaking events at the Sphere and collaborations like the upcoming Riyadh Season Saudi partnership.
“It’s thrilling,” he said. “We’re set to redefine live sports entertainment globally.”