Despite recent comments from Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav about “not need[ing] any more sports,” TNT Sports is reportedly keen on continuing its shopping spree following the loss of its NBA rights. During an appearance on John Ourand’s The Varisity podcast, TNT Sports CEO Luis Silberwasser indicated interest in two prominent live sports packages currently available: UFC and Formula One. “We like both,” Silberwasser stated to Ourand. “UFC is a fantastic property that has piqued our interest. Formula One, too, has gained significant traction in this market and presents great potential, given our experience with sports internationally.”
UFC is soon to exit its exclusive negotiating window with current media rights partner ESPN, leading many to speculate that the promotion will likely split its rights between various media partners in a new deal. Netflix has surfaced as a front-runner for a contract with the MMA promotion, thanks to its relationship with UFC’s parent company TKO through WWE’s Monday Night Raw franchise, although numerous other parties are also expressing interest. Meanwhile, TNT may pursue a smaller, budget-friendly package, aligning with its recent live sports acquisitions, which include rights for a modest collection of NASCAR races, a couple of first-round College Football Playoff games, low-profile contests from Big 12 and Big East, the French Open, and the FIFA Club World Cup. These properties, while not blockbuster-level, collectively help to fill the gap left by the NBA, allowing TNT to maintain an acceptable price from cable and satellite distributors.
In this context, TNT might be a more favorable contender for UFC’s Fight Night inventory rather than the headline pay-per-view events that would likely attract bigger players like Netflix or Amazon, who have more financial resources. Conversely, Formula One has also reportedly fallen out of favor with ESPN and is on the lookout for a new media rights partner. Currently, ESPN pays a significant fee in the high eight figures for the racing series, which remains on the more affordable side of live rights. However, Formula One seeks a considerable increase beyond its existing media rights fee and has not achieved stellar viewership on ESPN during its contract period.
Given that TNT Sports has already secured key multiyear distribution agreements with major cable and satellite providers in the country, there is less motivation to pursue unnecessary sports rights, as this wouldn’t necessarily result in higher carriage fees. David Zaslav reiterated this sentiment by stating, “we don’t need any more sports,” in response to inquiries about acquiring more live rights. Therefore, while TNT Sports may not currently appear as a strong contender for UFC or Formula One rights, Silberwasser’s comments suggest that it’s premature to dismiss their possibilities, especially if an economical option arises.
