UFC fights look to bring notably younger audience to Paramount+
UFC fights look to bring notably younger audience to Paramount+
UFC fans tend to not only be younger, but stream more video than the general population.
Where are the younger viewers to be found these days? Almost every streaming service is asking that question, as young audience members are frequently found watching social video platforms like YouTube or TikTok instead of major subscription video platforms. One of the most popular televised sports among young people, however, is UFC fights, and new data from Luminate shows that this fact could bring a flood of younger viewers to the streaming service.
Key Details:
- Younger audience: Gen Z and Millennial fans make up the core of UFC viewership.
- Already familiar: UFC fans are already substantially more likely than the general population to use Paramount+.
- Strong affinity: The predominant age range of Paramount+ subscribers is 25-49.
Paramount+ came in seemingly out of nowhere in August to acquire rights to UFC fights starting in 2026. The Paramount Skydance company paid $1.1 billion per season over seven years to purchase UFC broadcasts, stealing the rights away from ESPN+ and discarding the pay-per-view format that UFC has become infamous for over the years to stream fight nights with nothing more than a Paramount+ subscription.
As shown by Luminate, that could mean a fresh influx of youthful viewership could be headed to Paramount+ in the coming years. Its Entertainment 365 study shows that while approximately one out of three U.S. sports consumers already watches or follows UFC, Gen Z and Millennials are the true spine of its fandom, combining to produce 61% of its viewership base. Only 35% of UFC fans belong to older age brackets.
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Having younger viewers is absolutely critical for Paramount+. Not only do these age brackets tend to have more disposable income than other cohorts, but cementing Paramount+ as a crucial service to have in their minds at a younger age will help the streamer build a more loyal customer base in the years to come.
The good news is, the barrier for fans to find and familiarize themselves with Paramount+ is much lower than it could be. Luminate’s numbers show that UFC fans use streaming services more than the population at large on average, and that includes Paramount+. Fifty-one percent of UFC fans also say they have used Paramount+ — a higher percentage of fans than say they have used ESPN+, the fighting league’s former streaming home.
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This portends nothing but good things for Paramount+ in the future. The CBS broadcast network — also owned by Paramount — has the oldest primetime audience of the major networks, which means that Paramount+ stands a good chance of helping to revise that perception by attracting the youth.
A 2023 survey found that, while the CBS audience skews older, Paramount+ viewers are predominantly 25-49 years old. This data, combined with the fact that UFC fans are already so familiar with Paramount+ could be an indication that younger fans will find Paramount+ again quickly when the fighting promotion’s streams begin there.
Paramount had a healthy amount of competition for UFC’s rights, and the audience data from Luminate shows exactly why that is. Younger demographics are highly sought-after, and Paramount+ may have struck a gold mine of them by acquiring UFC broadcasts starting in 2026.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.