Paramount+ is raising prices as the UFC deal begins; FanDuel Sports Network adds shows from The Ringer; and CBS Sports reportedly hires new executives. Plus news on Mina Kimes, “Roundball Rock,” Tim Doyle and Mike Nail.
Paramount+ raising prices in January as UFC deal begins
Paramount is raising the U.S. price of its Paramount+ streaming in mid-January, the company announced during its earnings call Monday, a move that coincides with the beginning of the company’s new UFC media rights deal. Monthly prices for the ad-supported and ad-free tiers will rise $1 to $9 and $14 respectively, while annual prices will rise $20 for the former (to $90) and $30 for the latter (to $140). In a statement, Paramount said the increase is due to “ongoing investments” that are “enhancing the value we deliver to consumers.”
Paramount chairman/CEO David Ellison said on Monday’s earnings call that the UFC deal, reportedly worth a total of $7.7 billion, is expected to drive subscriber growth on Paramount+. The TKO-owned promotion’s year-round, event-oriented structure is expected to help the streamer avoid the churn that it experiences between the end of the Masters and start of the NFL season, according to company president Jeff Shell.
Under the deal, Paramount+ will be the exclusive home of all UFC events, and monthly numbered events are expected to also air on the CBS broadcast network. Shell likened the numbered events to postseason games in more traditional sports and contrasted the year-round slate with that of other leagues, where the postseason follows the regular season. Shell: “The ability to have events throughout the year is exactly where we think sports is going.”
Paramount+ ended Q3 with 79.1 million subscribers, up 10% YoY. The company is not reporting Paramount+ trial members starting next quarter, something that will eliminate about 1.2 million subscribers from its total.
FanDuel Sports Network adds podcasts from The Ringer
FanDuel Sports Network RSNs will air select podcasts from The Ringer under a new collaboration with the Spotify-owned company, it was announced Monday. The RSNs will present “The Ringer Sunday Pregame” starting on Sunday, Nov. 16 featuring Sal Iacono, John Jastremski, Raheem Palmer and several others ahead of the NFL schedule. During the weekdays, “The Ringer Gambling Show” will air at 2:30 PM ET featuring a majority of the same personalities.
The move is the latest programming change at FDSN under Norby Williamson, the former ESPN executive who has worked as the president of production and programming for Main Street Sports Group since January. Throughout his first year, Williamson has changed the managerial structure of the company and signed a strategic content partnership with Omaha Productions. Furthermore, he has added several new shows to the programming slate, such as “Golic & Golic” and “Countdown Live” with Stan Verrett.
Under the agreement, both brands are going to look at future chances to collaborate and engage in cross-platform promotion. Williamson, in a statement, said that “Bill Simmons and his team have set a standard for sports commentary.”
This new agreement occurs about a month after Spotify — parent company of The Ringer — signed a video podcast deal with Netflix. Under the pact, several sports and pop culture shows will become available on the SVOD platform in the U.S. starting early next year, including Simmons’ hit eponymous podcast.
CBS Sports adds two former ESPN executives
CBS Sports is adding two ESPN executives with ties to TKO ahead of the start of its UFC media rights deal, according to a report from John Ourand of Puck. The company has hired longtime ESPN executive Matt Kenny to serve as its vice president of programming, ending a tenure at ESPN that lasted more than 26 years. Kenny worked in a similar role at ESPN for the last six years, and he was part of the deal with WWE to acquire premium live events that started this fall.
Reportedly joining Kenny at CBS Sports is ESPN VP/MMA production Glenn Jacobs, who is serving as a new vice president of production. Jacobs was also part of the team that helped launch the WWE partnership with the broadcast of the “Wrestlepalooza” PLE in Indianapolis, Ind.
“I’ve personally known — and been big fans of — both of them for over two decades,” CBS Sports president David Berson said of the hires, per Ourand. “They’re seasoned and well-respected leaders and executives who perfectly fit the CBS Sports culture, and have already hit the ground running.”
In addition to its deal with UFC, Paramount also inked a partnership with Zuffa Boxing, a joint venture between TKO Group Holdings and Sela. The company is reportedly looking at a potential M&A transaction to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, although Ellison did not comment on that potential transaction during Monday’s earnings call. WBD reached a multiyear renewal of its agreement with AEW last October after five years and continues to broadcast matches on linear television and the HBO Max streaming platform.
Plus: Mina Kimes, ‘Roundball Rock,’ Tim Doyle, Mike Nail
- ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes apologized for her involvement in promoting a solitaire app owned by Papaya Gaming that is currently involved in a federal lawsuit. Kimes was one of several ESPN personalities who took part in the promotion and said on X that she was “deeply embarrassed” that she did not look into it, referring to the ordeal as a “colossal [screw-up]” on her part.
- Fox Sports is in the final year of an exclusive license to use the John Tesh theme music “Roundball Rock” on its college basketball coverage and is allowing NBC to use the theme on its new NBA package, NBC Sports EVP of communications Greg Hughes confirmed to John Ourand of Puck. Viewers noticed last week that FS1 is still using “Roundball Rock” on its college basketball coverage last week.
- Tim Doyle revealed that he will be on the roster of personalities working in the studio for college basketball coverage from TNT Sports. Doyle will host the studio program on truTV and Max this Saturday at 5:30 PM ET alongside Jamal Mashburn, Bruce Pearl and Jalen Rose leading into William & Marry against St. John’s.
- Mike Nail, the longtime voice of Arkansas Razorbacks basketball for over three decades, passed away at his home on Saturday at the age of 80. Nail retired from calling games after the 2009-10 season, and he was named an inductee of the Arkansas Sportswriters and Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame a few years ago.
