Earlier this month MMAJunkie’s John Morgan writing for USA Today revealed that the UFC was on the verge of launching a long-rumored, as yet unnamed subscription-based online distribution platform.
The network will feature live and on-demand programming, including more than a dozen live fight cards beginning with UFC Fight Night 34 on Jan. 4 at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre.
An event March 8 at London’s O2 Arena also will stream on the new platform, which will replace and enhance the UFC’s current digital home at UFC.tv.
The network will allow the promotion to hold international fight cards in prime time in those local markets while keeping the content accessible to fight fans around the globe at times when television partners might decline to air live programming. The Singapore event, for instance, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. local time, 6:30 a.m. ET.
International versions of The Ultimate Fighter, the company’s long-running reality competition series, also are expected to be available on the digital network. Historical fight footage and live fight-week fan and media events also will be streamed.
The biggest question was the price point. For $9.95 the hardcore fan base would in all likelihood sign on. The first UFC in 1993 was $14.95, and that was the next price point people considered. PPVs have steadily risen to $19.95 to $24.95 to a current one-time high of $59.95.
$59.95 per month for a digital network would be in “fun to look at but I wouldn’t want to own one” territory for most UGers, as would half that amount. Thus it was with pleasure that a now open beta version of the site indicates the price point will be $9.99 per month.
The name of the service is apparently Fight Pass.
So what do you think UG? You getting a Fight Pass subscription for $9.95, or what?
Thanks to Twitter user @rossfinkelstein for the find!
