Both the cost of UFC pay-per-views and ESPN+ will be increasing in 2021, according to Variety.
Starting in January, UFC PPVs will cost $69.99, an increase of $5. The timing is perfect for ESPN/Disney as the UFC’s first PPV offering of the year is UFC 257 featuring Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier.
Since becoming the exclusive home of UFC PPVs in the U.S., this is the second price increase ESPN/Disney has enacted. They increased to $64.99 at the beginning of 2020 after an initial cost of $59.99 when ESPN+ launched in the spring of 2018.
Additionally, ESPN+, required in order to get UFC PPVs, will increase annually by $10 up to $59.99 starting in early-January. Renewals for the 2020 price of $49.99 will be accepted through early-March, ESPN told Variety.
ESPN+ reported 11.5 million subscribers in early-December, up 50% over the last year. Earlier this year, UFC president Dana White said this has been the company’s most successful financial year to date despite the lack of fans for nine months.