Wonder if fighter pay will increase too Fans contemplate illegal streaming after ridicu

Looks like ESPN plans on raising the UFC PPV prices by a margin of $5 dollars every new year. If you loved watching UFC fights on pay-per-view, you might want to dig out nearly $80 more dollars for the upcoming 2023 season of PPV fights.

ESPN+ UFC PPV prices hit a new high in history as the streaming company plans to increase pay-per-view purchase price from $74.99 to $79.99. To watch the best fights from the biggest MMA promotion in the world, you will now have to pay a handsome amount. While fans are already upset about not having live fights to watch during holidays, this news from ESPN surely hasn’t made their days better.

In January 2022, ESPN prices for UFC PPV events went from $69.99 to $74.99. Ever since the Ultimate Fighting Championship signed a deal with ESPN to become their official broadcast partner, the PPV events have seen a constant increase in price every year. From giving out PPV buys for only $60 dollars to now seeing a massive hike of $20 dollars in only 4 years. This news has not sat well with the fans online. Fans of the sport have let their outrage be known loudly.

According to Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern on Twitter, “Disney says the move reflects ‘the value of ESPN+ and the popularity and quality of UFC events,’ and that it doesn’t impact ESPN+ sub price.” The annual subscription for ESPN+ will remain the same as last year’s which is $99.99. UFC fans will have to sacrifice a huge amount if they want to watch every single PPV in the year. The first card of the 2023 year will be UFC 283 which takes place in Brazil.

.@UFC PPVs on @ESPNPlus will increase in price from $74.99 this year to $79.99 next year, starting with #UFC283 in January, per @Disney.

🔲 Disney says the move reflects "the value of ESPN+ and the popularity and quality of UFC events," and that it doesnt impact ESPN+ sub price. pic.twitter.com/PBf0cMTIUE

Read more: Watch: When Twitch streamer masterfully avoided copyright for streaming live UFC 218 PPV by pretending to play UFC game

Fans heatedly react to news from ESPN of raise in UFC PPV prices

The top fighters get a piece of the UFC PPV buys. Dana White has encouraged fans to buy PPVs which will end up profiting their favorite fighter. After the recent hike from ESPN, fans expect the promotion to increase fighter pay given the raise in prices. Most of the fans find it unaffordable to pay nearly $80 to watch a PPV event.

While UFC plan to fully eradicate illegal streaming of their events, the constant raise in PPV prices surely isn’t helping the fight promotion. UFC boss Dana White would be shocked to see the number of fans that are contemplating illegal streaming after the latest news from broadcast partners. Check out some of the reactions from fans:

This is getting rediculous

Nah I'm done buying um now for real, i bought like 8 this year, unless ESPN will offer an option with no commercials for prelims, I'm done, canceling ESPN too

Have fun with that. I’ll be over here. pic.twitter.com/DoRxCSums5

wonder if fighter pay will increase too 🤔. probably not #whackaf

Also read: Chechen Warlord Ramzan Kadyrov sends scary message to Dana White after ‘dirty politics’ at UFC 282, demands apology from UFC boss

2019: $59.99
2023: $79.99
2027: $99.99pic.twitter.com/JiRIZ0Upmg

Literally never buying a ppv again , not to mention every time I actually do buy one and don’t pirate it the ESPN stream is worse than pirated ones

every $5 increase is = to 10,000+ more pirates.

Ppv increase but not a fighter pay increase except for a few fighters

Been buying ufcs for 25+ years but I'm about done with this bs. Not to mention Dana lied and said one of the price increases was temporary and it wasn't

White has previously severely warned several illegal streamers who have tried to pirate the pay-per-view events. However, the numbers in illegal streaming seem like will only go up as PPV prices go up. UFC put out nearly one PPV event a year. In 2022, the year started off with UFC 270 and ended with UFC 282.

What are your thoughts on this hike in UFC PPV price?

Also read: “They hadn’t even left the cage yet,” Jamahal Hill shockingly reveals how quickly UFC made the title fight after UFC 282 fiasco

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