Observed Signal · Feb 25, 2026 · Price Increase · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Paramount+ Raises Prices to Fund Exclusive UFC Deal
Paramount+ announced a subscription price increase effective January 15, 2026, raising its ad-supported "Essential" tier to $8.99/month and its ad-free "Premium" tier to $13.99/month, with larger hikes for annual plans. The company says the move helps finance a seven-year, $7.7 billion investment that makes Paramount+ the exclusive U.S. home for UFC events, substituting the prior pay-per-view model. New owner Skydance Media is pressing the direct-to-consumer business to reach profitability in 2026 and has eliminated free trials. Paramount+ is also securing exclusive creative deals (including with the Duffer Brothers) and pursuing broader strategic moves such as an active bid for Warner Bros. Discovery; the company names David Ellison as CEO and has appointed Bari Weiss to lead CBS News.
Major streaming platform shifting pricing and converting pay‑per‑view sports into exclusive subscription inventory—this affects streaming monetization, premium CTV ad inventory for advertisers, subscriber economics, and competitive consolidation.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Paramount+ is increasing subscription prices on January 15, 2026.
- The ad-supported "Essential" plan will cost $8.99/month and the ad-free "Premium" tier $13.99/month.
- Paramount+ committed to a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal to be the exclusive U.S. home for UFC events.
- Skydance Media recently took control and is aiming for Paramount+'s direct-to-consumer business to turn profitable in 2026; the company is retiring free trials.
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Paramount+ UFC Goes Programmatic for Live Sports
Paramount is launching live, in-game programmatic buying for UFC events on Paramount+, marking a move to real-time, guaranteed ad placements within premium sports broadcasts. The venture follows Paramount’s July-rights deal for UFC, valued at $7.7 billion over seven years. UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett will debut the feature on January 24. Advertisers can access selected ad units programmatically through Amazon DSP, Google Display & Video 360, The Trade Desk, and Yahoo DSP, with private marketplace bidding for UFC Numbered Events preliminaries and Fight Nights in the US. Main-card placements will be sold as Streaming Fixed Units tied to specific episodes. Paramount’s CRO Jay Askinasi, a former Roku executive, oversees the modernization push. The initiative aligns with broader adtech trends around live sports and programmatic TV, alongside parallel moves by NBCUniversal to enable DV360 access to Olympic inventory.
US suspends Microsoft, Adobe from green card labor program
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Amazon launches pricier Alexa tablets, discontinues Fire line
Amazon unveiled a new line of Alexa-branded tablets (8, 11, and 12-inch models) priced between $230 and $550, replacing its budget Fire tablets. The devices feature Android OS, aluminum bodies, higher-resolution displays, and AI features like 'On-Screen Intelligence'. The company said it will continue supporting Fire devices for four years but won't manufacture new units. Amazon denied that rising memory costs drove the price increase, but devices chief Panos Panay acknowledged challenges in building premium tablets amid the shortage. The move signals a strategic shift to higher-margin hardware, aligning with CEO Andy Jassy's push to monetize devices. The tablets ship on Oct. 14.
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