Bellator MMA signs 'multi-year partnership' with FOX Sports Latin America
The number two name in mixed martial arts is finally beginning its international expansion as it was announced Tuesday it had signed a 'multi-year partnership agreement' to make FOX Sports 'the exclusive carrier of Bellator throughout the entirety of Latin America'.
According to a press release, FOX Sports Latin America acquired the exclusive rights to televise Bellator MMA events and content - including Bellator 360, previous live events and other specials - in all of Latin America in approximately 50 million homes. The deal is set to kick off in October of 2013. In addition, beginning in 2015, 25 live Bellator events per year will air throughout the network including 'in-territory live events', which will air on FOX Sports and FOX SportsPlay.com.
FOX Sports Latin America will first air Bellator's November 2nd pay-per-view event for free. The card is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between Tito Ortiz and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson. That event will air on pay-per-view in North America.
"FOX Sports Latin America has been looking for the premier mixed martial arts organization to partner with, and Bellator is the perfect fit. We are thrilled to make Bellator the widest distributed MMA promotion in Latin America and Brazil, reaching more than 50 million homes from day one" said Carlos Martinez, President of FOX International Channels Latin America, through a release. "We are also very excited to be able to work as partners with Bellator to produce large scale Bellator events throughout Latin America and to produce reality shows in key territories. This partnership is a long term relationship that has virtually unlimited potential."
"We've now taken a monumental next step forward in the evolution of the global brand that is Bellator," said Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney via release. "To have partnered with FOX Sports, Latin America's largest and most powerful sports network is the perfect fit for Bellator in this incredibly vital region. This is just the beginning of what Bellator and FOX Sports International will build into the largest worldwide alliance in combat sports history. The possibilities that surround this alliance are nearly endless, including live events in key Latin American markets and the distribution of unique Bellator content exclusively for FOX Sports."
Bellator MMA currently is broadcast in approximately 98 million homes in the U.S. on Spike TV. The MMA organization also airs in 26 million households in the U.K. on the VIVA channel. Both stations are Viacom-owned properties.
UFC used to have this deal. Fox sports in latin america is nothing like fox sports in the united states. this is actually a step back for bellator in brazil compared to the current platform they have.
it helps in other parts of latin america where bellator ddidnt have a presence but there's no money in those markets yet.
UFC used to have this deal. Fox sports in latin america is nothing like fox sports in the united states. this is actually a step back for bellator in brazil compared to the current platform they have.
it helps in other parts of latin america where bellator ddidnt have a presence but there's no money in those markets yet.
I take this to mean Bellator will be available throughout the entirety of Latin America, on a platform that is somewhat less prominent in Brazil, and you're attempting to find some ultra-narrow interpretation wherein this could be spun as a negative for Bellator.
UFC used to have this deal. Fox sports in latin america is nothing like fox sports in the united states. this is actually a step back for bellator in brazil compared to the current platform they have.
it helps in other parts of latin america where bellator ddidnt have a presence but there's no money in those markets yet.
I take this to mean Bellator will be available throughout the entirety of Latin America, on a platform that is somewhat less prominent in Brazil, and you're attempting to find some ultra-narrow interpretation wherein this could be spun as a negative for Bellator.
UFC used to have this deal. Fox sports in latin america is nothing like fox sports in the united states. this is actually a step back for bellator in brazil compared to the current platform they have.
it helps in other parts of latin america where bellator ddidnt have a presence but there's no money in those markets yet.
You are such a fucking loser. A pathetic waste of flesh. I can't believe you actually tried to turn this news into something negative.
According to you Bellator were practically dead and buried after their apparent disastrous ratings. Yet here they are continuing to grow and LOL at the pathetic TUF ratings this season you faggot after all the shit you and the other shills talked.
Pretty fucked up this story isn't a main headline on the front page of the underground yet.
"White said the UFC had talks with FOX Sports Latin America in the past, but they chose to sign deals with TV giants Televisa in Mexico and Globo in Brazil, not to mention other deals in the region. The 50 million homes that cable channel FOX Sports Latin America is in spans over 19 countries. Televisa is in 24 million households free to air in Mexico alone, while Globo is in 55 million housholds free to air in Brazil. "
Update: The UFC provided MMAFighting.com with a breakdown of their television reach in Latin America. All told, their current Latin American distribution is 113.6 million households, which includes the aforementioned Mexico and Brazil. Below is a look at the entrie breakdown:
Brazil (GLOBO) -- 55 million HH Mexico (TELEVISA) -- 24 million HH Colombia (CARACOL TV) – 11.8 million HH Peru (AMERICA TV) -- 6.8 million HH Ecuador (TELEAMAZONAS) -- 3.8 million HH Panama (TVMAX) -- 460,000 HH Argentina (AMERICA TV) -- 10.9 million HH Nicaragua (Channel 4 RATENSA) -- 570,000 HH
“This is the No. 1 sports network in all of Latin America -- far and away the biggest reach and most established player through South and Central America and Mexico,”
“It doesn’t just involve the 25 live events per year we’re going to do [domestically], but it involves live events we’ll be doing down in South America, in key markets in Mexico and Brazil and other countries in the region. It also includes shoulder programming and unique Latin America-specific content that we’ll be producing with Fox Sports,” said Rebney. “In all the conversations we’ve had with our partners at Fox, everything they’re doing is aiming at 2015 to start live events on the ground and then continue to do that in 2016 and beyond.”
“[He asked if I] would have a problem with [Fox Sports] having this domestic alliance with the UFC and if I would talk with them, and I said, ‘You’re the No. 1 sports network in the world. Of course not. I’d be happy to [talk].
