(Subtlety was never the UFC’s strong suit…)
Remember that subscription-based, digital UFC network we talked about a couple weeks ago? You know, the one that promised cards full of unfit for television jobbers like Royston Wee?
Well, the UFC officially announced the price point: Access to the “UFC Fight Pass” will cost $9.99 a month.
What exactly does the monthly fee get you?
Access to international fight cards like UFC Fight Night 34, the UFC’s MMA fight library which includes fights from Pride, Strikeforce, and the WEC, as well as the UFC’s TV show archives (TUF, UFC Unleashed, etc.). Subscribers also get access to any original content the UFC is willing to put on the network, such as interviews, features, and whatever else.
It seems Alexander Hamilton carries a bit of respect at Zuffa, though initially the entire video library won’t be available. Marshall Zelaznik, the UFC’s Chief Content Officer, elaborated on this during the MMA Hour:
There will be an arc to how much content gets up, but eventually, all of the content will live there. Every one of the events that we do on an ongoing basis – depending on their hold backs or rights clearance issues — will ultimately be there…We’re going to put everything up there, provided there aren’t any rights issues conflicts.
However, you’re already supposed to be paying $5.99/month for old fights in the form of the UFC’s subscription-only YouTube channel, UFC Select. Perhaps access to the video archives is a gift to make watching regional-level bouts at 6:30 am more palatable? Or maybe the UFC listened to us when we told them that they needed to beef up their subscription network to compete with the WWE?
But the most important question of all is whether the UFC Fight Pass worth paying for.
The answer depends on how HARDCORE you are, bro! If you’re the kind of MMA fan who needs skulls on every single piece of apparel you own, or have items from War Machine’s new clothing line on layaway, subscribe ASAP!
Seriously though, it depends on how much you enjoy MMA. If you don’t need to watch less-developed fighters during the early morning, then pass. But if you’re really passionate about MMA (like when you’re at the gym you NEED to watch the two BJJ white belts with a month of striking experience sparring spazzing out in the cage), then $10/month is probably worth it. If you still think that’s too much, guess what? These cards aren’t meant for you anyway.