Nick Khan Talks WWE TV Deals – With the merger of Endeavor, WWE, and UFC now complete, the focus is shifting towards WWE’s upcoming TV rights deals. WWE President Nick Khan has expressed his intention to ramp up negotiations once the football season gains momentum. The unique situation where UFC is partnered with ESPN, while WWE has a significant deal with rival network NBC, could create an interesting dynamic in the negotiations.

Speaking to Sports Business Journal, Khan mentioned the recent bidding wars between Comcast and Disney, highlighting how competitive the media rights landscape can be. He emphasized the importance of ratings, relevance, and revenue for both WWE and UFC properties, emphasizing the desire for growth.

“You’ve seen bidding wars between Comcast and Disney on things like the Fox assets, which ultimately went to Disney, and Sky, which ultimately went to Comcast,” Khan said. “It does make one wonder how this might look down the road as both companies and as TKO enters into these negotiations. We think ratings, relevancy and revenue for both properties are off the charts, and, of course, we always want to grow that.”

UFC’s Senior EVP and COO, Lawrence Epstein, credited Endeavor’s expertise in securing media rights, particularly the UFC’s deal with ESPN. He anticipates that key figures within the newly merged TKO Group Holdings, such as Mark Shapiro and Ari Emanuel, will play crucial roles in the negotiations for WWE’s TV deals.

“The good news is we’ve got the best in the business when it comes to negotiating these important rights deals here in the U.S. and frankly around the world,” Epstein said.

The sports entertainment landscape is evolving rapidly, and the negotiations for WWE’s future broadcast partnerships will undoubtedly be significant events in the industry’s ongoing transformation.

Nick Khan Talks WWE TV Deals