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UFC
played chicken with Fox and lost; WWE lays with the SmackDown with FOX - June
2018
ESPN+
gains much needed extreme sports content 
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by
Greg Tingle MMA
and pro wrestling fans, if you blinked and missed it, it's been a historic fortnight
for major sports media deals in the United States, with international implications. According
to world renown wrestling and MMA journalist, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer
Newsletter, it appears that the new five year pact between ESPN and the UFC was
the UFC’s back up plan - read second choice. In
the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Meltzer broke down how
UFC officials were aiming to continue its partnership with FOX Sports, but the
network balked at the price tag. It
appears that FOX, when making the deal, was not willing to continue its previously
on the table $200 million offer for UFC, since the next day reports were that
UFC’s television rights were going to ESPN for $150 million in a separate
deal from the ESPN+ streaming deal announced last week. The
splitting of the rights between Rupert Murdoch's FOX and ESPN+ was possible, but
according to Meltzer’s sources FOX was not willing to pay the $10 million
per show cost, and pulled their offer. Meltzer
was also advised by his source that, “UFC played chicken with FOX and lost”
which opened up for the WWE’s alleged $205 million dollar deal to bring their
Tuesday night Smackdown Live programming to Fox on Friday night’s starting
next fall. According
to his sources, Meltzer claimed that Fox saw more value in a potential deal with
the WWE for their Smackdown Live brand, which would be 52 weeks of first run content,
instead of 20 UFC shows and other “ancillary” content. The
after effects of the UFC - FOX situation, found WWE's top brass in a meeting with
the Murdoch FOX executives. Rupert Murdoch even told WWE's team including Triple
H and Stephanie McMahon that "NBCUniversal are embarrassed by your product",
as part of his bold pitch. It worked a charm, WWE
- FOX five-year, $1 billion deal for SmackDown The
mega deal puts Fox in the Vince McMahon business. McMahon is currently looking
for a home for his upcoming XFL relaunch that fans and media are hotly anticipating,
and with McMahon and son-in-law, Triple H, you know they always have a side project
or two in the works, be it a WWE NXT like venue, or maybe even a new version of
the most loved WWF talk show TNT (Tuesday Night Titans) from the 80s, which is
now available on the WWE Network. Wrestling
fans, or to those looking to check out sports entertainment a little bit closer,
WrestleMania season appears to be coming early this year. SummerSlam is on the
horizon in the United States, as part of their sizzling summer. It's winter here
in down under Australia but the WWE action is sure to heat things up whether you
get your hit via WWE.com, WWE
Network, 9GO!, Foxtel, or may the GLOW girls on Netflix are your things. Either
way, pro wrestling and sports media executives are pleased your tuning in for
the action, and so are we. Sources:
Wrestling Observer Newsletter WWE.com
ESPN Fox
Sports 
Vince
McMahon circa 1984. World Wrestling Federation's pro wrestling has certainly
become WWE's sports entertainment. 
Vince
McMahon (WWE) and Dana White (UFC) 
WWE
Network for more hardcore WWE and pro wrestling fans 
FOX
Studios Australia. Could it be possible that one day the WWE will tape wrestling
shows from Fox Studios or Hordern Pavilion
at Moore Park in Sydney's east? WWE's style of pro wrestling, Sports Entertainment,
might be one of the few attractions that could pull a huge crown to the Entertainment
Quarter precinct on an ongoing basis. EQ Moore Park needs more foot traffic
according to many business residents that the Media
Man agency has spoken to. Hordern Pavilion was the last Australian FOX related
venue to showcase professional wrestling in Australia - the AWF show in 2003.
Sydney's eastern suburbs misses professional wrestling. Wrestling fans of the
east are wrapt that IWA recently
performed at The Juniors Kingsford,
however there is nothing quite like the WWF. As Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon
and Triple H say, anything is possible in the WWE. 
ESPN
+ sports fans can look forward to more extreme sport, courtesy of the UFC. So
much more than just colleague basketball. Expect eSport coverage to ramp up as
media companies look to cash in on the growing eSports phenom. New Japan Pro Wrestling
superstar wrestler Kenny Omega has inked a deal with CEO Gaming in Florida, USA.
It will be interesting to see how much coverage ESPN and FOX Sports give this.
New Japan Pro Wrestling is broadcast via AXS which sports tycoon Mark Cuban heads
up. New Japan's recently appointed president, Harold Meij, recently said "Long
term, I want us to trouble WWE. If you just look at our product you'll see that's
not out of the question." There you go sports fans, the heat is on in the
professional wrestling aka sports entertainment world. 
GLOW
(Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling). Not to be outdone, the GLOW
girls are back on Netflix Australia for Season 2. WWE Women are known to sometimes
#glow on their social media accounts.
FOX
Studios Australia News WWE
Smackdown shifts to Fox; New network changes business model - 25th May 2018 ESPN+
subscription service will broadcast League of Legends competitions - May 2018 Kenny
Omega to perform at New Japan Show on June 29 at CEO Gaming in Daytona Beach,
Florida Maroubra
wrestler Kai Drake to star in International Wrestling Australia event at The Juniors
-
28th May 2018 FOX
Sports taking the fight to TMZ Sports, ESPN, others; Rupert Murdoch's FOX playing
to win in Australian and international sports media and sports rights matters
says Media Man agency TMZ
Sports continues to be the go-to place for WWE scoop stories with wrestlers and
management says Media Man agency Battle
for Hollywood news headlines; The Hollywood Reporter vs Variety vs The Los Angeles
Times vs the others - June - July 2018 
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