Paramount's UFC deal shows that CEO David Ellison 'is here to play', Puck's Matt Belloni

UFC Rights Deal & Paramount Plus - Paramount Global secures a 7-year, $7.7 billion rights deal for all UFC matches, including numbered fight nights (approximately 13) and broader fight nights (approximately 30) [2] - The UFC rights deal is valued at $1.1 billion, signaling David Ellison's commitment to the media industry [3] - Paramount Plus aims to increase its subscriber base from 77 million to 90-100 million by leveraging UFC content [4] - CBS's linear TV reach is crucial for the UFC to monetize its content, balancing advertising revenue with Paramount Plus subscriptions [4][5][6] CBS & Streaming Strategy - The strategy for the Ellisons is to leverage linear channels like CBS for profit and reach while investing in streaming properties like Paramount Plus [9][10] - CBS News is considered a separate entity with plans for unbiased transparency [9][10] - CBS maintains major properties like NFL, golf, and 60 Minutes, attracting millions of viewers [11] Potential Mergers & Acquisitions - There is speculation about a potential merger between Warner Bros' studio and streaming aspects with Paramount [13] - Peacock and Max are interesting potential rollup joint venture partners for streaming scale [14][15] - The Ellison's are focused on investing to achieve streaming scale independently [16]