Pay-per-view no more: Paramount offers programmatic for premium UFC events

UFC is stepping into a new streaming arena this week, along with the power of programmatic buying.

Paramount announced today that it will offer in-game programmatic buying for marquee sports events on Paramount+ through partnerships with The Trade Desk and others, starting with UFC’s debut event on the platform on Jan. 24.

The company said that this marks “the first time that advertisers can secure a real-time guaranteed placement” in Paramount+’s premium sports events, as UFC matches will be streaming for subscribers at no extra charge — a shift in the sport’s traditional pay-per-view model.

Mark Shapiro, chief operating officer of UFC owner TKO, called that model “a thing of the past” last year, after Paramount bought the exclusive U.S. rights to UFC.

“What’s on pay-per-view anymore? Boxing? Movies on DirecTV? It’s an outdated, antiquated model,” he told CNBC. “So, it was paramount to us — forgive the pun — where it’s one-stop shopping, especially for our younger fans in flyover states.”

Streaming has opened up access to live events and sports like never before for advertisers and viewers alike, from premium events like UFC and boxing to once-niche international sports.

“This initiative underscores Paramount’s commitment to media modernization, expanding opportunities for marketers to show up during the biggest and buzziest moments of scaled audience attention,” Jay Askinasi, chief revenue officer at Paramount+, said in a statement.

“By bringing guaranteed positions to the streaming sports stage, both directly and programmatically, we’re widening the aperture for more advertisers to tap into the passion, energy and engagement of live sports with the agility, optimization and precision of digital.”

The Current is owned and operated by The Trade Desk Inc.