Behind the PFL’s Meteoric Rise to the top of the MMA Industry: Very few companies have been able to reach the summit of their industry in their first 10 years of operations. Even fewer have been able to do it in half that amount of time. The Professional Fighters League (PFL) however, has been able to do it in a little less than five years. For More combat news, follow insidesport.IN
Since opening up shop back in 2018, the New York-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has managed to grow and expand exponentially. Now, just nearly five years into its existence, the PFL shares the top spot as the number two MMA promotion in the world, behind only industry giants, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
“By all metrics in all sports, we’re the number two in the world,” stated PFL CEO Peter Murray on a recent episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. “As you look at the quality of the production, the caliber of the roster, broad reach in terms of our premium distribution, access for fans – US and international, we’re distributed at 160 countries, our commercial business.”
While most companies strive to be number one, Murray says that he’s happy where the PFL is today, and would much rather focus on the company’s growth rather than comparing themselves to anyone else in the industry.
“We’re happy about our leadership position as number two. There’s so much growth ahead, A, for the sport, B, for the PFL, and we’re not concerned about anyone else in the sport,” Murray said. “We’re focused on what we’re building, and quite simply, our focus is on advancing the sport, growing the sport around the world, and giving fighters an alternative and an opportunity to compete on a major stage against top competition here in the US, and now internationally.”
The PFL’s meteoric rise is the result of a multitude of factors, from an all-star executive team, to a who’s-who of willing investors, but what has set the league apart from the rest in just a short amount of time has to be their unique format, willingness to innovate, and their unwavering push for global expansion and distribution.
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PFL has been an absolute game changer
In terms of the league’s format, the PFL is the only league in the world that utilizes a sports-season format, which sees their world-class roster of fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and finals. A structure that’s based on meritocracy, the PFL decided to do away with the traditional promotion style and instead reward their fighters for their performances. Simply put, it’s win or go home in the PFL. The more you win, the bigger your chances are at going further in the season and potentially fighting for the PFL Championship and the million-dollar purse.
It’s this kind of fighter-friendly format that has made household names of homegrown stars like Kayla Harrison and Ray Cooper III, while also bringing in big names like Anthony Pettis, Rory MacDonald, Fabricio Werdum, Jeremy Stephens, and many others. Just recently, the league brought in top stars such as Shane Burgos, Thiago Santos, and Aspen Ladd, all of whom will be competing in the league’s 2023 Regular Season.
“At the end of the day, without great fighters, nothing matters. But our differentiators – the sports season format, the technology, as well as our storytelling, – you combine that, it’s different. It’s premium, it’s innovative, and it’s a new experience for fans, and we cater to avid MMA fans,” Murray said about the format.
With a format that has proven to be effective in terms of viewership and a roster featuring some of the biggest names in the sport, the PFL has constantly pushed to achieve wider distribution and global expansion.
In the United States, the league can be seen on ESPN and ESPN+, without a doubt the biggest sports broadcasting entity in the United States. For this season’s finale, the league took things to another level by going to pay-per-view for the first time. The 2022 PFL World Championships, which takes place this November 25th, will be available live exclusively on ESPN+ PPV.
Outside the US, the PFL is available in over 160-plus countries via the biggest broadcast partners and platforms including DirecTV in South America, RMC Sport in Europe, MBC Action in the Middle East, ESPN in Africa, Mola TV in Asia – to name a few.
As the league continues to grow, expect to see even more locations get access to the PFL’s brand of MMA action through their respective broadcast providers. With the product and distribution already in full swing, the PFL is now working towards expanding to even more markets across the globe.
Earlier this season, the PFL took a massive step in the right direction by holding their first set of international events – back-to-back fight cards in the United Kingdom. The success of the two cards became the precursor for the league’s newest major endeavor: PFL Europe, a regional tournament which will feature the best talent in the continent. The winners of PFL Europe will earn a spot in the PFL Global Roster, which allows them to compete for the PFL Championship and the million-dollar prize.
PFL Europe is just the beginning however, with the league looking to implement the same sports-season format in other big-market regions such as the Middle East and Asia. The goal, as Murray stated, is to become the “Champions League of MMA.” In just under half a decade, the PFL has managed to build a lasting brand, create stars, and become a true global stage that up-and-coming mixed martial artists can aspire to be on. With this current trajectory, it’s quite exciting to see the heights that the league can reach in the next half-decade.
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