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The global sports media rights business is valued at more than $40 billion this year, representing 25% of professional sports revenues. Esports, consisting of more than a thousand individual leagues, events, and championships, is expected to generate close to $100 million in media rights deals this year and $400 million in 2021. The share of esports revenues related to the trade in content rights will grow from 18% this year to 24% in 2021, making it the fastest-growing revenue stream in the esports ecosystem. One of the youngest sports leagues to gain mainstream acceptance, the UFC, shares some historical similarities with esports and could point us to the future of esports media rights and content distribution. Like esports, the UFC was long considered not a “serious” or mainstream league by many. It struggled to find content buyers and nearly went bankrupt in 2001. However, direct advertising and sponsorship deals helped boost its popularity over time, leading to a media rights deal with FOX for $120 million per year in 2011. And, just this year, the UFC more than doubled its rate to sign a contract with ESPN for $300 million per year for five years. More than ever, content is king and the battle for premium, exclusive content has helped drive up media rights values across the board. The explosive growth of investments into content by the world’s biggest tech giants has made content rights trade an even more competitive and global battleground. Facebook spent almost $300 million securing live Premiership broadcasting rights in four Southeast Asian countries and exclusive La Liga distribution rights in India, outbidding traditional broadcasters in the process. With Disney-Fox and ATT-Warner mergers complete, we expect to see further evolution in content monetization and direct-to-consumer distribution, as rights holders attempt to maximize the value of their properties. With nearly all traditional sports leagues content tied up in contracts for the next few years, esports leagues provide a very welcome new opportunity.THE FIFA EWORLD CUP Successfully combining esports and traditional sports