UFC execs are reportedly upset after ESPN’s issues with last weekend’s event; Matt Barrie has renewed his contract with ESPN; and more.
ESPN+ outage irks UFC execs
UFC executives are said to be “absolutely furious” with ESPN after Saturday night’s coverage of the UFC 313 pay-per-view event suffered technical difficulties, according to the New York Post. Viewers experienced issues when attempting to purchase the event, as well as buffering during the event itself. ESPN responded by making a replay of the event available to ESPN+ subscribers for no additional charge, but stopped short of providing rebates to affected fans.
The news comes as UFC and ESPN are engaged talks about a renewal of their media rights deal, in an exclusive negotiating window that ends next month. UFC has been vocal about incorporating multiple partners into its next deal, with Netflix mentioned as a possibility. Netflix also carries the WWE’s “Raw” series, which is also owned by UFC parent company TKO Group.
ESPN re-signs Matt Barrie
ESPN announced Monday it has reached a multi-year agreement with SportsCenter anchor Matt Barrie. Barrie, who joined the company in 2013, is expected to continue in his diverse roles, including hosting the 2 PM SportsCenter, Thursday-night college football play-by-play, Saturday college football studio host, and golf play-by-play, including TGL and The Masters. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Barrie said in a statement, “ESPN has been my home for 12 years, and there’s no other place I’d rather continue my career,” while ESPN exec Dave Roberts noted that Barrie’s “passion for the game, versatility as a host, and ability to connect with fans make him an invaluable member of our team.”
Plus: F1, Track and Field, Joy Taylor
— F1 TV, the direct-to-consumer platform for Formula One racing, has announced a new Premium tier product, which will provide live coverage of all practice, qualifying, and race sessions in 4K video quality to subscribers. The product is priced at $130 for the season, and includes additional features like Multiview and driver cameras and radios. The Premium offering is a step up from the existing $85 “Pro” subscription, which includes live coverage but does not include 4K streaming or Multiview.
— World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field, is engaging in talks with Saudi Arabian officials regarding a potential sale of its commercial assets, according to Reuters. The deal would give the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) control of a new entity that would manage the sport’s commercial arm, in a deal valued around $636 million. The PIF is the same entity responsible for other recent Saudi Arabian sports investments, including LIV Golf and the 2034 FIFA World Cup, in addition to a new announced partnership with TKO Group for a boxing promotion in the country.
— FS1 studio host Joy Taylor is expected to return to air today after being absent (“sidelined”, according to Front Office Sports) for two weeks. Fox Sports declined to comment on her absence, according to The Athletic‘s Andrew Marchand.
