UFC And Paramount’s Deal Nominated For SBJ Award

Sports Business Journal (SBJ) unveiled the nominees for the 19th Annual Sports Business Awards, with the UFC and its leadership securing multiple nominations.

The UFC is competing in several “best-in-class” categories, facing off against the most established leagues in North American sports.

• Sports League of the Year: The UFC is a finalist alongside the NFL, MLB, NHL, NWSL, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

• Deal of the Year: The UFC and Paramount media rights agreement is a frontrunner in this category. The $7.7 billion, seven-year deal meant the UFC successfully transitioned the brand from a pay-per-view-dependent model to a subscription-based model on Paramount+.

• Executive of the Year: Mark Shapiro, President & COO of TKO Group Holdings, earned an individual nomination. Shapiro was a primary architect of the Paramount deal.