With the UFC's first major television deal expiring soon, the promotion could have a new broadcasting partner.
A seven-year deal with FOX expires in 2018 and the UFC is already discussing NBC, ESPN, and TBS as potential suitors when the time comes to bid on television rights, according to an investor presentation obtained by MMAjunkie.
The documents were put together prior to the finalization of the company's $4-billion sale to WME-IMG this past August.
In 2011, the UFC signed a seven-year exclusive broadcast deal with FOX that reportedly cost the media giant somewhere in the range of $90-$100 million per year. During that time, the UFC has provided programming to FOX's main channel as well as FS1 and FS2.
The investor presentation predicts that the UFC will have added leverage in negotiations due to a "scarcity of meaningful sports rights" being open for bidding in 2018.
Currently, the UFC airs fight night events, the weekly digest show UFC Tonight, and the long-running "Ultimate Fighter" reality series as part of their FOX television package.
