1 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Michael laugh and I'm Scott Sashnik. Will explore 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: the big money issues in the world of sports and 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,559 Speaker 1: talk to one of the most powerful people in the industry. Well. 4 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: On this week's show, we are speaking with Dana White, 5 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, ahead of next week's 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: highly anticipated match between Floyd Mayweather and Colonel McGregor. It's 7 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: gonna break every record you know in combat sports history. 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: We will have more of our interview with UFC President 9 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: Dana White in a few minutes, but first let's look 10 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: at the top stories of the week. Joining us for 11 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,840 Speaker 1: that is Bloomberg Business of Sports reporter Evan Noby Williams. 12 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 1: Let's begin with the story that you broke this week, Scott, 13 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: tell us about the big news from Turner Broadcasting. Well, Turner, 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: like so many other broadcasters, is going over the top 15 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: O T T and and so many of our interviews 16 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: Michael with with the media people, they'll tell you we 17 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: need to go direct to consumer, no more cable company. 18 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: We have plenty of content that we need to ship 19 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: directly to the consumers. That's where everybody's looking these days. Sure, 20 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: and this Turner Broadcasting O T T is going to 21 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: be primarily soccer. It'll be Champions League in Europa League, 22 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: the two major club championships from Europe. And I think 23 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: it's a good place to start. I mean, when we 24 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: talked last week about ESPN, they're gonna be waiting in 25 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: with their digital network. These are not the only two 26 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: major sports broadcasters that are going to be doing it. 27 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: But we're finally reaching a point where this theoretical point 28 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: where we've always talked last couple of years, we've talked 29 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: about it all the time, we're gonna get to a 30 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: point where they need to do this. We're now at 31 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: the point where they're doing it. I like it. That Turner, though, 32 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 1: couldn't answer two very important questions. One how much does 33 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: it cost? And to how many subscribers do you think 34 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: you'll get? Those are the two things. What are they 35 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: going to show? Now? We know they have some decent content. 36 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: When you come to market with one of these products 37 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: and you have Champions League games, that's something that's something 38 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: that people would like to see, But how much are 39 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: they willing to pay for it? Is it official? Now? 40 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: Have we just officially shattered the model when it comes 41 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: to cable providers. It's not shattered. I mean it's still there. 42 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: There are still plenty of folks who have their cable, 43 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: it's just fewer people. And as that number dwindles, it's 44 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: been such a staple of the business that guaranteed revenue 45 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: coming in for ESPN seven bucks a month per subscriber. 46 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: You start losing thousands of subscribers and the ultimately over 47 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: the years millions of subscribers. That's a lot of revenue. 48 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: They have to figure out a way to stem the losses. 49 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: And make no mistake, the premier items that Turner has 50 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 1: to broadcasts are still gonna be on cable television. You're 51 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 1: not gonna see MLB playoffs on this O T T. 52 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: They're still keeping the cream of the crop that they 53 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: have for TV. So we're not yet at the point 54 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: where the best they have to offer is going onto 55 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: this O T T as a way to lure both 56 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: the higher price point and more consumers. And Disney is 57 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: something like this not too long ago, just fact, just 58 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: a few days ago, where they said, hey, we're gonna 59 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: take out especially our ESPN content, and we're gonna try 60 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: to provide it directly to the viewer and by passed 61 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: the cable that was the impetus for their paying all 62 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: that money for bam Tech so they could have the 63 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: technology to go direct to consumer. Some would say that 64 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: maybe a little slow in making that transition, but they 65 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: have great content. Let's see what the consumers are willing 66 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,119 Speaker 1: to pay and what sort of things are we going 67 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: to see on these platforms. That's the key and another 68 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: story we are following on Bloomberg Business of Sports. The 69 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Inaugural Players Tech Summon in San Francisco this week 70 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: took place. We told you all about it on last 71 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: week's show when we sat down with Andre Iguadala of 72 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: the Golden State Warriors, and this week we heard from 73 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: his teammate and fellow champion, Steph Curry about expanding the 74 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: NBA brand globally. When we talk about content, digital content 75 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: and things that we could do in China that can 76 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: really be able to tell powerful stories and and grow 77 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: not only my brand, you know who I am, but 78 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: you know basketball in general for you know the amount 79 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: of people that are there. It's it's definitely a huge, 80 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: huge opportunity here we go. We're talking about sports athletes 81 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: who have fat wallets getting into entrepreneurship and they're going 82 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: to find a way to capitalize on this. Oh, they 83 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: have already found a way, especially those that have big followings, 84 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: big names and superstar him around the world. Yeah. I 85 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: was there and I spent the day with Steph and 86 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 1: Andre and Paul Rabel to across player um. There were 87 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: some football players there, Marcus Colston, and they heard time 88 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: time again that there's opportunity there for you, and we're 89 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: here in Silicon Valley to support those opportunities. They heard 90 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: many stories from many venture capitalists how I went about 91 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: doing it, What, what were the tips they could offer. 92 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 1: They heard from Andrea Agassy, They heard from Joe Montana 93 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: also raising money for different things, but raising money in 94 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: the venture capital world. These guys were sitting at attention, 95 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 1: really writing it down in their books. They were thirsting 96 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: for knowledge as to how they can take that next step. Yeah, 97 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: we're an age here where adding someone like a professional 98 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: basketball player to your VC fund is not just because 99 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: people know who he is and they want to take 100 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: a meeting with him because they like watching him on 101 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: the court. These guys are now contributing things in these conversations, 102 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: and that's a big step forward. Let's talk about another topic, 103 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: This one a rather grim one. The protest and violence 104 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 1: in Charlottesville, Virginia dominated the news and a prominent NHL 105 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: team logo got caught up in the fray and it's 106 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: causing the team to denounce the use of his brand. 107 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: What it is is that the Detroit Red Wings, well 108 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 1: what somebody did. They took that logo and instead of 109 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: the round wheel that you see in the logo, they 110 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: put the Nazi symbol in there, and of course the 111 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 1: Red Wings organization they were up in arms. It's like, 112 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: what is this? Could you imagine You're sitting in your office, 113 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: You have no idea this is going to come on 114 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: your plate today, right, and you flick on one of 115 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: the news channels and you'll wait a minute, wait, that's 116 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: our logo being associated with this. I mean, you have 117 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: to of us lee distance yourself from this as quickly 118 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: and as clearly as you can. And that's what they did. Sure, 119 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: And the Detroit Lions logo, that rearing Lions standing up 120 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: was also used by by a group that was there 121 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: on the ground in Charlottesville. Um, yeah, yeah, they did 122 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: the right thing. They came out immediately and said they 123 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,119 Speaker 1: had nothing to do with it. They'll take legal action 124 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: if they have to, and distance yourself as much as possible. 125 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: Let's shift gears on a much happier note. Let's talk 126 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: about e sports. It is huge and it is a 127 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: story that Evan, you are familiar with, and speaking of familiar, 128 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: a familiar company is tracking this huge phenomenon. Yeah. Nielsen, 129 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: the company you know as as the experts and what 130 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: consumers watch and what they buy, is finally waiting into 131 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: the sports trying to bring some clarity to what is 132 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: a very confusing industry right now. I mean I get 133 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 1: emails from people they say the sports is a million 134 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: dollar industry. Some people say it's a billion dollar industry. 135 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: Nobody seems to know if it's e mail or fifty 136 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: percent mail. There's is no concrete statistics out there about 137 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: who's watching this, what they're paying for, who they are, 138 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 1: what the revenue is for the entire industry, what sponsors 139 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: are getting back when they invest their money into it. 140 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: And those are all things that Nielsen does at the 141 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: top level for things like gaming and also things like sports. 142 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: And they're realizing that there's some synergy there and there 143 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: there's an opportunity for them to wait in and and 144 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: do some more with it. Yeah, this is about return 145 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: on investment. If advertisers going to put their money into 146 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: e sports, they need to know what they're getting right now. 147 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: They're just not sure. If you're OUTI, for example, and 148 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: you want to invest in let's say the Detroit Lions, 149 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: keep it personal for you, Michael Uh. There's an easy 150 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: way for Nielsen to say, listen, here's the amount of 151 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: people that are gonna see it. Here are your eyeballs, 152 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,559 Speaker 1: this is the demographic, this is what it's probably worth. 153 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: And after your campaign runs, Nielsen can look at it 154 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: and say, Okay, here's what you got for it. That 155 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: doesn't exist in the sports yet, and a lot of 156 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: companies who want to get into this because it's got 157 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: sexy demographics and it's the next big thing are kind 158 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: of waiting on the sidelines until there's a little bit 159 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: more of those structures in place. Our thanks to Bloomberg 160 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: Business of Sports reporter Evan Nolvie Williams now, let's turn 161 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: to a conversation with Dana White, president of the Ultimate 162 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,679 Speaker 1: Fighting Championship. Under his leadership, the UFC has grown into 163 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: a global, multibillion dollar enterprise, and next weekend He's set 164 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: the stage for what's shaping up to be the biggest 165 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: fight ever, a boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Connor McGregor. 166 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: A couple of years ago, somebody asked if this fight 167 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: would ever happen, and you said something to the effect of, 168 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: you have a better chance of being Tom Brady's backup 169 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: than this fight. It was. It was a couple of 170 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: days before the super Bowl, and I said, I got 171 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: a better chance of being Brady's backup than than this 172 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: fight happened. If you look at how long it took 173 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 1: these guys to do the Mayweather Pakia fight, I thought 174 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: this would never come together. But you know, so what 175 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: so what changed? If there were all those impediments to 176 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 1: the other fight, how did this come together? I think 177 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: pretty quickly. So literally, everywhere I went, everywhere McGregor went, 178 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,199 Speaker 1: everywhere Mayweather went, all people asked about was this light. 179 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: So it started to get crazy, and I was like, man, 180 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: if one more person asked me about this fight. So 181 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: I was on ESPN and I said, I'll tell you what, Floyd, 182 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: I'll give you twenty five million dollars for the fight. 183 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: Then TMZ got him and said, hey, did you hear 184 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: offered you twenty and he hung his watch out the 185 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 1: window and said, see this watch. I don't know what 186 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: that meant is to watch million I don't know. But 187 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: so from there, um, you know that that started the 188 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: negotiation and then uh me al Hayman and team Mayweather, 189 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: uh you know, started negotiating. Is this fight going to 190 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: break revenue records? Yeah, it's gonna break every record you 191 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: know in combat sports history. It literally is the biggest 192 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: fight in history. And because of the the global reach 193 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: that the UFC has, you know, in boxing, these guys 194 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: that go out and cut a few international deal you 195 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: know here and there with with with the digital service 196 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: that we have. I don't care if you're in Manhattan 197 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: or on a desert island somewhere, if you can get WiFi, 198 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: you can watch this fight. So who gets a bigger advantage? 199 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: This is better for Is it better for boxing, which 200 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: maybe the interest has been waning, or is it better 201 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: for UFC and that maybe boxing fans and casual sports 202 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: fans are going to give your sport a try. I 203 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: think it's good for all of combat sports. You know, 204 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: when you have when you're I'll give you an example 205 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: when when Mayweather pack yal did what it did. I 206 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: was like, wow, good for them, and uh, it showed 207 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: me where where the bar was set. You know. On 208 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: if you have the right fight with the right people 209 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: in the right place the right time, you know, it 210 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: can be massive. It's funny because this fight, which will 211 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: take place on the is on the same day that 212 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: I have to take one of my kids back to college. 213 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 1: And the wife said, are you coming? I said, no, 214 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: forget that, I'm gonna watch this fight. So which breaks up. 215 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: The next point is that you must be pretty popular 216 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: at the house right now. Yeah, yeah, just like a cactus. 217 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: That's about where I am right now. Headline Michael Barr 218 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: terrible father. I just wonder. I mean, there's so many 219 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: parties involved, and and and everybody's all set in Las Vegas. 220 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: They love you guys because they're expecting the visitor revenue 221 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: to increase because of this fight. Yeah, it's gonna it's 222 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: gonna be big for Vegas, but it's gonna be big 223 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: for for a lot of places. This is the most 224 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: distributed event in pay per view history. Think about that, 225 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: all the fights that have happened with Tyson, dal La Hoya, Mayweather, 226 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: packy out all these fights the most distributed event in 227 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: pay per view history. Can you break it down for 228 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 1: me then as specific as you can. If it's gonna 229 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: break records, we're talking probably five hundred million in TV 230 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 1: revenue alone, that's the dominant revenue source. Who's going to make? 231 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 1: How much the line in Vegas right now is uh 232 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: over four point nine million pay per view buys? Yes, 233 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: there's actually a line on it at a hundred bucks 234 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: of pucks of pop. Yeah. Okay, So if you if 235 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: you ex trapolate the math, how much do you does 236 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: UFC make? How much his team Mayweather? What's connor get? 237 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 1: How does it break out? Everybody's doing just fine. Everybody's 238 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: doing just fine on this flight. I don't I don't 239 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: think anybody has put the numbers out on who's making what. 240 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: But it's uh, it's it's everybody. Nobody's bummed out about it. 241 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: I can tell you that everybody's gonna be happy boxing 242 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: versus UFC. And back in the day was just boxing. 243 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: That was it, that was the only thing. And then 244 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, twenty four years later, years ago, 245 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 1: the UFC comes on the scene, and then everything has changed. 246 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: What caused that big metamorphosis, I guess from changing from 247 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: boxing to the UFC. Uh you know, I think that 248 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: we went out and first of all, it's an exciting sport. 249 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: Number one, let's start there, super exciting sport. You can punch, 250 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: kickney elbow, go to the ground, and then uh, you know, 251 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: all different types of submissions. There's just so many different 252 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: ways to win in so many different ways to lose. 253 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: The fights are super exciting. And then we went out 254 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: and basically, uh, you know, built the sport. We wanted 255 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,079 Speaker 1: this thing to be sanctioned by all the athletic UH 256 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: commissions and to be looked at as a real sport 257 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: and these guys being real athletes. So uh, you know, 258 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: there's so many people that want to watch a freak show, 259 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: and then there's a lot of people that actually want 260 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: to watch a real sport. And then can you take 261 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: me back. Oftentimes in the growth of a business, there's 262 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: the aha moment where whatever doubts that may have existed 263 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: in the past, you say that's all a race. You're like, 264 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: I've got something here and I know it. Do you 265 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: remember that moment? Yeah? Um, even even earlier when we 266 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: were losing money and uh, you know, we're losing money 267 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: and lose the money. I always felt like we were 268 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: gaining momentum, building steam, and that the sport was catching 269 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: on even faster than I had anticipated, because if you 270 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: think about it, we all grew up and I'm forty 271 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: eight years old, and we all grew up in a 272 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: society where, you know, like the old John Wayne movies, 273 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: you never hit a man when he was down. John 274 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: Wayne would hit a guy, then he'd stand him back 275 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: up and he'd hit him again. You know, I thought 276 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: it was going to take a long time for the 277 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: people to learn the ground game, you know what was happening, 278 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: the setups for a submission, But man, it happened fast, 279 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: and submission fighting became very, very popular with the younger 280 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: generation or you just said the keyword, the younger generation. 281 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: That's all about demographics. Give us the demo of who 282 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: you reach, how many and how old are they? Well, 283 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: you know, eighteen to thirty four year old males is 284 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: what we absolutely dominated when we were building this business. 285 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: And one of the things that's happened since then is 286 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: obviously it's grown to uh, you know, older demos, you 287 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: gerd demos, and the one that I never saw come 288 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: in the female demographic. Um with with you know, the 289 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: meteoric rise of Rhondda Rousey. Um, you know, women became 290 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: so first of all, we we I can't remember what 291 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: news station it was. I think it was Fox, but 292 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: they did the story of all the women that used 293 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: to come to the events on like girls trips to 294 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: Vegas to watch the UFC. You know, I never thought 295 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: we'd see that day. And uh, now we have three 296 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: different weight divisions in the UFC for women, and uh 297 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: it's it's one of the most popular. Uh you know what, 298 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: the guys love to watch the women fight. Rhonda Rowsey 299 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: is probably the biggest UFC women's story you ever had. 300 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: But then you said that you don't think she'll ever 301 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: fight again. Why she was actually the biggest star period 302 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: at one time in the UFC. And uh, you know, 303 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: if you look at Rhonda Rousing and you know her history, 304 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: she grew up, um, you know, training in judo. She 305 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: ended up going to the Olympics twice and um, and 306 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: then she became a world champion. She's thirty now, she's 307 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: made a lot of money and I think she's ready 308 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: to ready to start a personal life now. And you 309 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: know she never did any of the things that other 310 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: young girls did. She didn't have fun, she didn't go 311 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: to party, she didn't do any of that stuff. She worked, uh, 312 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: you know, and trained, So I think she's ready for that. Dan, 313 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: Is that maybe a little chink in the business plan 314 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: armor and that you invest and helped develop stars and 315 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: then maybe they get tired of getting kicked in the 316 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: face and once they make money, they say, let me 317 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: go do something else. Yeah, I mean that's that's that's 318 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: professional sports period. Um, nobody lasts forever, and professional sports, 319 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: you know, everybody has a limited amount of time to 320 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: do great things, make a lot of money, and then 321 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: move on to the next chapter of your life. Professional 322 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: sports is not a career. It's not something you do forever. 323 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: But how do you develop that next superstar? And some 324 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: of this is we're gonna get into content because I 325 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: know you've got the Contenders series. You want to make 326 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:12,160 Speaker 1: every part of us UFC something for people to see. Yeah, 327 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: I'm always trying to innovate and come up with new 328 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: ideas on how people can consume our product and uh, 329 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: you know, the different types of fights to watch, the 330 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: different ways to present them, uh to the fans, and Uh. 331 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: I have the Contender series, which is to find young 332 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 1: up and coming talent. I have a show called Looking 333 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: for a Fight that's a completely different format that is 334 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 1: focused on building young talent. And then I have The 335 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 1: Ultimate Fighter, which is uh, you know, the show, the 336 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,880 Speaker 1: show that builds talent, and that really started everything for us. 337 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:45,360 Speaker 1: We always talk about is one of the conversations at 338 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: the bar or at the kitchen table, wherever I get 339 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,719 Speaker 1: a hundred fifty million dollars, give me a million dollars, 340 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: and I would get in the ring with Rhonda Rousey 341 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 1: blah blah blah blah blah, and then proceed to take 342 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: a trip to the hospital. These people are are so 343 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 1: well trained in what they do. Can you take this 344 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: through that? And not only that, it's it's the mental preparation. 345 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 1: It takes a lot of people said, say, if you 346 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: give me a million dollars, I'd get in there with 347 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: this guy. No, you wouldn't because before you got there, 348 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: the build up to it. First of all, you'd have 349 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: to cut weight. Very few people could do that and 350 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: and actually go through with it, and and and you know, 351 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:30,239 Speaker 1: without quitting number one, number two, all the bleed up 352 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: into it the pr that you have to do. Then 353 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: you have to go up on the way in, do 354 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: the stair down, and then that night you actually have 355 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: to show up, walk into an arena with twenty thousand 356 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: people and millions watching around the world on TV, and 357 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: go in there and fight, you know, somebody that you 358 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: know is going to destroy you. Very few people would 359 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 1: really do that for a million dollars. And you make 360 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: it sound like Michael Barr is not prepared when he 361 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: comes and he sits, he puts his headphones on and 362 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: conducting interview with you, it's like he's not prepared for 363 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: something like that. Um to take off my get protected 364 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 1: and get ready. Then there's so much more that goes 365 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: into being a fighter, you know, the mental warfare, the training, 366 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: just so many things that would break the average guy 367 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:13,360 Speaker 1: or a woman that that that thinks they would get 368 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 1: in there for a million bucks. Yeah, there's also so 369 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: many things that go into building and for lack of 370 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 1: a better term, I'm gonna say a sports league, because 371 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: that's how you're operating. You have to deliver content in 372 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 1: an ott world where people want it when they wanted, 373 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: how they want it, on what device they wanted. You 374 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: seem to be building content for exactly that kind of 375 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:37,640 Speaker 1: distribution model. You're absolutely correct, Yeah, you know everything that's 376 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: right now. That's when I'm battling over right now with 377 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 1: the So the Contender series is killing it. It's it's 378 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: it's doing incredibly well, and we're only shooting something like, uh, 379 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: seven or eight episodes. My thing is, I think we 380 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,480 Speaker 1: should we should go ten or twelve before we break 381 00:19:55,520 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: and you know, start another season. Um. So these are 382 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: all things I'm battling with, But the answer is yes. 383 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: So we're bringing in more subscribers with the show. Um, 384 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: you know, the subscribers are there, We're offering them great content. 385 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: And then once this thing is done and I have 386 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,719 Speaker 1: a season in the can I can chop this thing 387 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 1: up ten different ways and create ten other television shows 388 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: with with the uh, with the content that I have. 389 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: You kind of touched stuff on it earlier. The UFC 390 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: about twenty four years old, and you talked about some 391 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: of the moments that has happened. But can we expand 392 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: more on that? What are some of the biggest changes 393 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 1: that has happened to the UFC. Oh? God, there's been 394 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: so many changes. I Mean if you look at where 395 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: it started. It was basically supposed to be one event 396 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: that put style versus style with karate beat kung fu 397 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: with boxing beat wrestling, um type show, and it did 398 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: so well that it rivaled professional boxing and the w 399 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: w E at the time. So they did another one, 400 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,360 Speaker 1: and another one, another one. But in a million years, 401 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: these guys never realized that they were creating a sport. 402 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,679 Speaker 1: Mixed martial arts was born, which is by far the 403 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,439 Speaker 1: best fighting style. And Danna, can you give me a 404 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 1: glimpse at what your international footprint looks like? Where do 405 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 1: you go? How many people do you reach? It's probably 406 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,880 Speaker 1: stuff that the traditional sports leagues are jealous of. Yeah, 407 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 1: we literally go everywhere. We're in over a billion homes 408 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: worldwide on some form of television. And here, here's what's crazy. 409 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: You think about the NFL, Right, there's nothing bigger in 410 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: this country than the NFL. And I don't care if 411 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 1: people watch one football game all season. Everybody watches the 412 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: Super Bowl, right, And in other parts of the world, 413 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: cricket is really big and they could care less about football, right, 414 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: but we're never going to care about cricket over here. 415 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: The one thing that breaks through all cultural barriers I 416 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: don't care what color you are, what country you come from, 417 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: or what language you speak. Fighting is in our DNA. 418 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 1: We get it and we like it. It works everywhere. Um, 419 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,400 Speaker 1: if you think about the most famous athletes to ever 420 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: walk the face of the earth, to Brady is huge, 421 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 1: and um, people don't care about him in other countries. 422 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: There's guys in other countries that we don't even know about. 423 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: But everybody knows Mike Tyson, everybody knows Muhammad Ali, everybody 424 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: knows Bruce Lee. Little kids today still know who Bruce 425 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: Lee is. This guy died in the early seventies. We 426 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: are fascinated as human beings by who the toughest people 427 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: in the world are. And fighters will always be the 428 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,400 Speaker 1: most famous athletes on Earth. You brought up a good 429 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: point too, and that is when when the sport started 430 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 1: twenty four years ago and so many things changed that 431 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: people didn't realize, Hey, this could be a sport. And 432 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: now this thing has is just exploded, and what is 433 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 1: the future for the UFC. We're going to continue to 434 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 1: go into countries we haven't been in. We're going to 435 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: continue to go back to countries we have been in, 436 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 1: and uh, you know what, We're going to continue to 437 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 1: grow and adapt to uh technology and all the differ 438 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: and things that are going on with O, T, T 439 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 1: and whatever's next. Because when you think about it, for 440 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:07,399 Speaker 1: for what the future is My kids I got I 441 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 1: got a twelve year old, the fifteen and a sixteen 442 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: year old, and all they do seven is on their phones. 443 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: Everything is on their phones. It's how they communicate, it's 444 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: how they watch, you know, anything that they're interested in. 445 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:23,119 Speaker 1: It's how they get their news and information. Everything is 446 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: off the phone. And if you look at our content, 447 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 1: you know, the best knockout, the best submission, some highlights 448 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:32,439 Speaker 1: of a fight. What what's that? You're gonna sit there 449 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 1: and watch to the Caribbean on your phone? Uh? No, 450 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: you are stuff is perfect for all this new technology. 451 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: All right. So now you've told us that the kids 452 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:44,959 Speaker 1: are watching, they're getting this content. You can cut it up, 453 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: you can sell clips, you can sell highlights. As luck 454 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 1: would have it. For Dana White, your agreement, your broadcast 455 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:56,680 Speaker 1: agreement is coming. Do you are about the only major 456 00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 1: property that the traditional broadcast sters and maybe some of 457 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 1: the non traditionals will have access to for oh, what 458 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: are we with twenty probably five six seven years, you 459 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: are sitting in a very good position. How do you 460 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 1: approach this negotiation? Yeah, I feel I feel pretty good 461 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 1: about it. Um and uh, you know, like I said, 462 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:21,879 Speaker 1: we fit perfect perfectly with all the new technology. And 463 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: what's funny is when my deal. When I got my deal, 464 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: you know you're talking to the you know, all the 465 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: cable networks or you know CBS, ABC, you know Fox. 466 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 1: The list goes on and on. But now you know, 467 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: you have Facebook, you have Amazon, um, you have YouTube, 468 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 1: you have you know all these different you know, the 469 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: game has changed in the last seven years. So this 470 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: negotiation is going to be interesting. And obviously my new 471 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: partner is our Emmanuel, and uh who better to be 472 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,920 Speaker 1: going into this type of a deal with anybody other 473 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,919 Speaker 1: than our Emmanuel? Well, how about his partner? I was 474 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,000 Speaker 1: hanging out with Patrick hy Still earlier this week at 475 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 1: the Players Technology Summit in San Francisco with Steph Curry 476 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 1: andre Iguadala. We talked to little UFC. Would you prefer 477 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: sort of a joint bid with a traditional non traditional 478 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: It sounds as if you don't want to give away 479 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 1: or you'd like to at least capitalize these new guys 480 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: on the block who reached the kids, your future that 481 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: you're talking about. Absolutely listen as we sit down and 482 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: we start listening to the type of offers that come in. 483 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: You know, we have to you have to really think 484 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 1: forget about the money, Okay, take money right out of 485 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: the equation. You have to think about what's going to 486 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: be best for this business over the next however many 487 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 1: years that we sign a deal. How do we reach 488 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 1: more people, how do we build stars um and how 489 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 1: do we get you know, the entire world to be 490 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: able to consume our product. That's the stuff you look 491 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: at first before money. We are chatting with Dana White, 492 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: the president of UFC, and Dana, was it difficult when 493 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: you were acquired by W M E I M G. 494 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 1: I mean, it just seems that perhaps they're where's different, 495 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: different approaches between the two companies, not not the same. 496 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,239 Speaker 1: D n A my my old partners, the Fatidas, we 497 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: were together for twenty years. That was hard for me. 498 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: You know, it was like a divorce when those guys left. 499 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,879 Speaker 1: You know, I went through a lot of emotional stuff, 500 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 1: to be honest with you, when they left. But as 501 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: far as the business, Nah, it's the W M E 502 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: I MG came in and I'm running this thing just 503 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 1: like I did, you know, five years ago. So nothing 504 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,120 Speaker 1: has really changed. Ri and I, UM, so we were 505 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 1: friends before this happened. I was actually glad that it 506 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: was him because of the relationship. And uh now I'm 507 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 1: I'm doing what I've been doing for a very long time. 508 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:43,439 Speaker 1: Has anything changed with the success? Has your appetite for 509 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 1: risk changed? Because that often happens once the money comes. Nah. 510 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:51,360 Speaker 1: I I literally just like I said, you gotta put 511 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: the money aside and do what you do. You gotta 512 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: do what's best for the business, uh for it to 513 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: continue to grow and uh and make all the right 514 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: decision as far as all this new technology goes. And 515 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 1: it's the same thing with me. You know how many 516 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: people call me up after the deal and say, how 517 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: do you get up and put your shoes on every 518 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 1: day and go to work? You know? Um, And believe me, 519 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: we had a lot of people here who made a 520 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 1: lot of money and they're gone, they took off and 521 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 1: they're doing nothing. Now, this is what I love to do. 522 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 1: This is what I would do for free, Like this 523 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: Tuesday night UH Contender series. Everybody's like, aren't you doing enough? 524 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: Isn't this enough? I could get up every Tuesday for 525 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,399 Speaker 1: the rest of my life and go watch young and 526 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:32,199 Speaker 1: up and coming talent fight. It's what I love to do. 527 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,919 Speaker 1: It's it's who I am, So yeah, none of that 528 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 1: stuff affects me or face is me? Lastly, for your Dana, 529 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 1: who do you got? I mean, it's it's the biggest fight. 530 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 1: People want to know. McGregor, your guy, your sport, but 531 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 1: not exactly doing what he normally does or Mayweather. Is 532 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 1: it money or is it Uh? I'm going with Connor McGregor. Uh. 533 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: You know, the boxing world doesn't know Connor McGregor like 534 00:27:56,760 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: I know Connor McGregor. Everything this guy said he will do, 535 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: he has done. I watched him train. He looks phenomenal. 536 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 1: And now we're using eight ounce gloves. By law, it's 537 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: supposed to be ten ounce gloves. They gave him a waiver. 538 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 1: They're gonna fight an eight ounce glove, and now there's 539 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 1: less glove for for Floyd to protect himself. Connor hits 540 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,640 Speaker 1: like a truck. He will knock Floyd Mayweather out. Floyd 541 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: is the master of defense. It's less glove uh to 542 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:27,679 Speaker 1: defend himself with. And Connor is absolutely confident that he's 543 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 1: going to knock him out. And he's always He's always 544 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: delivered when he says he's gonna well, Scott, if I 545 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 1: buy the Derito's you coming by the house on the 546 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: because my family obviously is not happy with me. But 547 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 1: I'm not going to college. They dropped everybody off, so 548 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 1: then you'll be home alone. The key here he he 549 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: did not ask me to pay for halts, so yeah, 550 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 1: maybe I'll go. All right, that's the UFC president, Dana White. Dana, 551 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: thanks so much, thanks for having me, guys, thank you. 552 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: Takeaways here, Scott. I think what I'm impressed about the 553 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 1: most is that, remember this UFC whole body started twenty 554 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: four years ago. Nothing. Dana White had nothing to begin with. 555 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 1: In fact, he said he was losing money at the start, 556 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: and now look at the industry. Yeah. What I take 557 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: away from Dana's he gets it. He gets today's media. 558 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 1: He knows how to reach people. There was one part 559 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 1: where he talked about, yeah, I have this show where 560 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:27,280 Speaker 1: the contender. I can take ten shows out of that 561 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 1: and make another series. He's always thinking of content, content, content, 562 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: How do I give my fans more? That is a 563 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: perfect recipe in today's digital world, feels better to be 564 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: number one than number five. I'll wear a number because 565 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 1: of Mike. We have a chance to go for three 566 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: in a row. Kids numbers in a good time, and 567 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: I's first started wearing the number. How was just happy 568 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 1: and Floomberg Business of Sports the number of the week 569 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: and Michael our number this week, Number of the week, 570 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 1: five hundred million. Do you know what I'm referring to? 571 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 1: Your bank account? Almost but I am talking about Dana 572 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: White's bank account. Are your Manuel's bank account? Floyd Mayweather's 573 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: bank account. They are targeting about five hundred million dollars 574 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: in pay per view sales, which would do away with 575 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 1: Mayweather and Paquial. That would push that into the background. 576 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: They are looking at at one ll buys almost five 577 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 1: million buys at a hundred per That is impressive. Now, 578 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: Las Vegas is not hurting for visitors, but they definitely 579 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 1: expect their visitors. Number two rise. This fight. I can't 580 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 1: think of another fight this huge. I mean unless you 581 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 1: go back to like the thriller Manila Fights with the 582 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 1: Fraser Ali fights. But even then, still, I don't think 583 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: the marketing compared to this. I'm not sure they can compete. 584 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 1: The real success here is you've got your boxing fan, 585 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 1: You've got your m m A fan. What this has 586 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 1: managed to do. It's kind of like the Super Bowl. 587 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 1: It's drawn the casual sports fan in. Your mother in 588 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 1: law knows this fight is happening, and she is not 589 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: a boxing fan. You have been listening to Bloomberg Business 590 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: of Sports MA We here each and every week at 591 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 1: the same time, exploring the world of money in sports. 592 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:22,200 Speaker 1: I'm Michael Bark they just make sure she subscribes, and 593 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: I'm Scott Sashnik. Thanks for joining us. Please tune in 594 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: next week when we continue our conversations with the biggest 595 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: and brightest in sports business. You're listening to Bloomberg Business 596 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 1: of Sports on Bloomberg Radio around the world and online 597 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 1: as an Apple podcast on iTunes.