Former UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub was one of many many, many individuals who had points watching the principle card of UFC 313 on ESPN+.
Throughout Saturday’s pay-per-view broadcast, which was capped off by Magomed Ankalaev’s title win over Alex Pereira, numerous fighters — each previous and current — followers, media members, and extra had been outraged that they ordered and paid for the principle card, however streaming points left them unable to observe it. UFC executives had been “livid” over the state of affairs, whereas ESPN issued an apology in a statement sent to MMA Fighting concerning the issues with ordering and watching UFC 313.
‘Sadly, we skilled a technical difficulty that impacted purchases of the UFC PPV on ESPN+ shortly after 10pm ET,” ESPN mentioned within the assertion. “Our groups recognized and resolved the difficulty, restoring full performance forward of the principle occasion. We apologize for the inconvenience and are taking steps to make sure a greater expertise sooner or later.’
Whereas ESPN supplied up the principle card totally free on Sunday for ESPN+ subscribers, it nonetheless left a foul style in folks’s mouths, together with Schaub. On his podcast, Schaub doesn’t consider it was a technical difficulty, however a negotiation tactic because of the UFC’s broadcast rights deal being negotiated.
“The entire ESPN+, the pay-per-view not working, they’re [in negotiations for their broadcast] rights proper now, should you assume that wasn’t on goal, you’re out of your thoughts,” Schaub mentioned. “That’s ESPN, who doesn’t give a flying f*ck concerning the UFC, actually. They’re in turmoil. However should you don’t assume that’s a flex from them… I’ve by no means had points with them, now impulsively throughout [rights negotiations], points simply pop up?
“That’s somebody going, ‘Oh, actually, you need to play laborious ball? That is what your numbers will appear like with out us.’”
Schaub doesn’t know what’s occurring for certain, and it might clearly look like a fairly dangerous tactic from ESPN in the event that they need to hold the UFC as a part of their portfolio — particularly with the ever-growing recognition of the model.
However after having points with the platform for the primary time, Schaub simply feels the timing of it appears manner too coincidental.
“That’s what I believe [with a] tinfoil hat on,” Schaub mentioned. “By no means had points. Swiftly, half the f*cking world has points? That’s bizarre. Throughout negotiations? That’s bizarre.”
Whereas Schaub apparently by no means had issues with the UFC streaming on ESPN+, this is far from the first time issues have popped up through the practically seven-year lengthy relationship between the 2 firms.
Add to that as a part of the general broadcast deal, ESPN pays the UFC for each pay-per-view broadcast irrespective of what number of gross sales truly occur so purposefully creating technical points would truly price the Disney-owned model extra money with nothing in return.
