Earlier this year, the UFC bumped up PPV prices. At the time, it was expected that the measure could be a temporary one, in response to a very poor 2014 PPV showing. A price increase for a few big shows to start the year, and then everything would return to normal. Looks like that’s not happening. Now MMAJunkie reports that the UFC has made their PPV price hike official. Form hear on out it looks like the standard def. price will go from $44.99 to $49.99 with HD going from $54.99 to $59.99.
According to the UFC, it’s all down to rising production costs:
“In an effort to provide UFC fans with the best possible matchups and highest quality programming, we have maintained the same suggested retail price for our U.S. pay-per-view events since February 2008 (UFC 81), with one exception – UFC 168 in 2013,” the statement reads. “As with most industries, our costs have gone up significantly over this period and we have determined it is necessary to institute a minimal cost increase beginning in 2015.
“UFC considers its pay-per-view events to be a tremendous value for the consumer and it continues to make that value proposition better every year through features such as advanced analytics, real-time interviews and breaking news.”
Of course, there’s never a better time to bring up Dana White’s classic quote on PPV price hikes in which he was steadfast in his resolution that the UFC wouldn’t be raising the rent on fans.
UFC President Dana White makes it as plain as he can that prices for UFC pay-per-views aren’t going up: “I’ll f**king go on record right now and say I will not raise pay-per-view,” White said. “I won’t do it.”
…
“The UFC is a cheap night at home,” White said. “It’s a cheap night of entertainment.”
Of course, all that was back in 2009 and nothing stays static forever.
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