Bellator MMA land 'game changing' multi-year nine-figure deal with DAZN

[lukeuidswords]

So this is Bellator’s landmark distribution deal?? I was really hoping that Viacom would realize their networks don’t have the outreach for the MMA community, and that they would actually partner with a real network such as CBS or FOX.

Never heard of DAZN before, but as others have said, it seems to be a pretty pricey model. It seems like the only thing worth watching on it is Bellator, but it will cost $20/month. I can’t see too many people signing up for this service. Seems like a short term revenue gain for Bellator which will lead to a long term decline in viewership.

Going onto network TV wouldn't be a landmark in the slightest. MMA has regularly been on there for a decade or more now. Bridging over to streaming is where their business model will direct towards for the foreseeable future.

 

[fermaPY]

Damm
Looks expensive for American people... more than 100$ a year + the UFC new deal on ESPN + PPV + Fighr Pass, that is a lot of money...
DAZN at least have other quality content?

 

[tithas]

Interesting. DAZN is UFC's streaming partner for japan events. DAZN is also not currently available on US based Roku devices.............This seems like a cash grab before a inevitable selloff in a few years.

 

[lukeuidswords]

Of course
This hurts the "bellator has sponsors" mantra

Fight Pass had 400-450k for UFC
If Bellator has 50k for DAZN I'd be surprised

Fight Pass had 400k after four years of buildup. It was also entirely a UFC service. DAZN is much more widespread in terms of content. You can't make a 1:1 comparison.

 

[FrankieNYC]

Fight Pass had 400k after four years of buildup. It was also entirely a UFC service. DAZN is much more widespread in terms of content. You can't make a 1:1 comparison.

If only 400k bought a much bigger companies OTT service to watch MMA, you can certainly guess hardly any will purchase for a lesser known company.
If they get anywhere near 100k watching on DAZN it will be amazing

 

[Danespina]

This is fantastic news! Can't wait to get DAZN! I cut my cable cord years ago.

If you cut the cord years ago, have you been following Bellator via. streaming? Or if not, is this something that will finally get you into Bellator?

 

[Danespina]

DAZN at least have other quality content?

In Canada DAZN gives you "unlimited access to every live NFL game this coming season".

 

[JayPettryMMA]

Fight Pass had 400k after four years of buildup. It was also entirely a UFC service. DAZN is much more widespread in terms of content. You can't make a 1:1 comparison.

Well you're not wrong. But...it's only available in Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. It'll be in the US in September. Fight Pass is international.

 

[Cousin Oliver]

Around 100k bought the Bellator NYC PPV last year for $50, so it doesn't seem like such a stretch to charge ~$150/year for all Bellator cards, live with no tape delay, including 7 DAZN-exclusives (I think the U.S. price for DAZN will be closer to $10/month than Canada's $20 because the NFL license is not included here).

 

[Quivering Palm]

For people saying this is a bad move for Bellator, chances are that Viacom was tired of throwing money down a hole and needed this outside money to make the property viable. There are negatives for their exposure, but the alternative may have been no Bellator at some point.

 

[Danespina]

Honestly though, while my initial comments in this topic are negative, I also think it's necessary to broadcast your stuff over the internet these days.

Once I move in 6-8 months I'll likely never get cable again. Only reason I'm upset at this moment is cause it comes free with my rent.

 

[skylolow]

I'm sorry, but what an F'ing mess.

This BS they try to spin about live shows and tape delay crap is utterly ridiculous. Viacom could very easily show every event live if they wanted to.

So now we have to pay for another service to support Bellator. I guess great for Bellator's bottom line but at the same time I think it speaks volumes to how Viacom really supports Bellator, apparently not that much.

 

[Fahrenheit1221]

Not a fan of this deal.

At $150 it only adds to an outrageous cost as an MMA fan. Factor in another $100 a year if you want Fight Pass. On top of that my television provider charges $74.99 a piece for PPVs. I haven't missed a PPV since 2004. Do the math. Granted the cost has gone up but it was never cheap in the long run.

 

[GueseGuy]

I don’t think this deal changes much stateside aside from the exclusive events. They’ll still broadcast on paramount aside from those 7 exclusive events. I think taking the potential viewer hit for those 7 events is worth the estimated $20 million a year we came up with here. This influx of cash in the product allows them to re invest in a better product and gives them more breathing room knowing there will be guaranteed income. Plus it clears up the whole tape delay bullshit. People can now watch Bellator from whenever and wherever they want with the subscription.

I think this helps internationally for sure tho. If you look at it from countries who don’t have a tv deal for Bellator, they now have a place they can go to for Bellator. This is a big key internationally and it’s similar to fight pass in how people in countries who don’t have TV deals for the UFC, end up following the UFC. As long as DAZN grows, it’ll help Bellator internationally for sure. I saw that they’re not available in the U.K. and Ireland tho. Bellator is still really fucking up in that area.

 

[lukeuidswords]

Not a fan of this deal.

At $150 it only adds to an outrageous cost as an MMA fan. Factor in another $100 a year if you want Fight Pass. On top of that my television provider charges $74.99 a piece for PPVs. I haven't missed a PPV since 2004. Do the math. Granted the cost has gone up but it was never cheap in the long run.

You buy PPVs? Are you an insane person?

 

[Danespina]

I don’t think this deal changes much stateside aside from the exclusive events.

7 events makes up a third of Bellator's content, unless they plan on expanding their schedule.

 

[Hardcore MMA]

Not a fan of this deal.

At $150 it only adds to an outrageous cost as an MMA fan. Factor in another $100 a year if you want Fight Pass. On top of that my television provider charges $74.99 a piece for PPVs. I haven't missed a PPV since 2004. Do the math. Granted the cost has gone up but it was never cheap in the long run.

Wow, you haven’t missed a PPV in 14 years, yet your provider is now charging $75/card?? Hate to be the downer, but you’re going to need to cut the waste (ex. UFC 224). Too many cards these days to waste $75 on crappy PPVs when most other organizations are charging for their platforms too.

 

[Bubba32]

so viacom sold bellator content off to another company? that cant be a good sign no matter how you spin it.

at $20 a month i doubt there will be that many people signing up. I also dont think the simulcast Bellator events that air on both cable and dazn will remain on paramount. It will probably get moved to cmt.

Showtime would have been much better. Nobody has dazn. bellators exposure is going to plummet and they havent been doing great with the current exposure.

having said that. This will definitely give bellator more time. they were looking like a dead man walking.

 

[AimedWithV]

Bellator MMA land 'game changing' multi-year nine-figure deal with Perform Group streaming service DAZN
Bellator MMA land 'game changing' multi-year nine-figure deal with Perform Group streaming service DAZN
26 Jun 2018, 01:55pm

• Bellator and Viacom have signed a multiple-year broadcast deal with streaming service DAZN - owned by the Perform Group - believed to be worth upwards of 100 million US dollars
• Seven Bellator events a year will be exclusive to DAZN in the USA, which also streams live sports in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada and Japan.
• "Game-changer" for Bellator and sport of MMA says Scott Coker, the Bellator MMA CEO.
• All other Bellator events will also be streamed on DAZN, as well as the Paramount Network, owned by Viacom
• The first event on DAZN will be a super-fight between middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi and welterweight champion Rory MacDonald in San Jose on Sept 29.
• US star Rampage Jackson will face Brazilian legend Wanderlei Silva, fight No 4 in their rivalry, and will be the co-main contest at the San Jose event. They fought in PRIDE in 2003 and 2004, and in the UFC in 2008. It is 2-1 to the Brazilian.
• Bellator also announces eight-man welterweight tournament which will also be broadcast on DAZN, set to start at the Sept 29 event
• Long list of welterweights being discussed could include two British fighters but the eight not yet finalised. Possible participants: Current champion Rory MacDonald, former belt holder Douglas Lima, Paul Daley, Michael Page, Andrey Koreshkov, Lorenz Larkin, Jon Fitch, Ed Ruth.
• Lyoto Machida, newly signed to the organisation, is expected to make his Bellator debut in November
• Machida will compete at both middleweight and light-heavyweight

Mixed martial arts organisation Bellator and its owners Viacom will announce a ground-breaking landmark distribution deal at a news conference at its New York headquarters, which includes a multiple-year broadcast deal with the digital streaming service DAZN - owned by the Perform Group - believed to be worth upwards of 100 million US dollars.

The new deal will include at least seven Bellator events a year being exclusive to DAZN in the USA, which will also stream the events live - as it does with other sports such as football (Bundesliga, La Liga, Champions League, J.League), the NBA, the NFL and Formula One - in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada and Japan. DAZN launched in August 2016.

The first event on DAZN will be a super-fight between middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi and welterweight champion Rory MacDonald in San Jose on Sept 29, bringing together two renowned mixed martial arts stars who have global appeal in the rapidly-growing sport.

Aside from an eight-man welterweight tournament to be added to the DAZN deal, American fight and film star Rampage Jackson and Brazilian MMA legend Wanderlei Silva are also expected to face off in fight No 4 of their rivalry as the co-main contest at the San Jose event. They fought in PRIDE in 2003 and 2004, and in the UFC in 2008. It is 2-1 in victories to the Brazilian.



Rory MacDonald the Bellator welterweight champion to meet middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi in superfight on Sept 29 in San Jose Credit: Lucas Noonan/Bellator


The Telegraph understands that the deal may also allow DAZN to show all other Bellator MMA events, which are likely to be simulcast in the USA on the Paramount Network, also part of Viacom's broadcast portfolio, as they are currently.

With its visceral nature, and compelling storylines - not to mention its cutting edge appeal with the younger generations - fight sports have become sought-after broadcast fare in the digital age.

Bellator president Coker and Viacom Chief Financial Officer Wade Davis have overseen the announcement, with Coker tight-lipped this week, only revealing to The Telegraph ahead of the news conference that the deal is "a game changer" for the sport of MMA, and for Bellator.

As the streaming 'arms race' heats up, the deal gives Bellator the strong-arm ability to continue to sign major names to its roster, and compete with the UFC, which has recently signed a deal with ESPN+, the American sports broadcaster's new streaming service.

This new venture will underwrite Bellator's ambition under its president Scott Coker to reach new markets, sign more fighters who are free agents to its burgeoning roster, and increase its global appeal.

After adding a Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament in the last year, Bellator has also been increasing its reach with more events in Europe in the last two years.

The announcement is a clear sign that Bellator MMA is on the rise as a rival to the UFC, having grown exponentially in the USA after its acquisition by media conglomerate Viacom five years ago.

Bellator are also to make official today an eight-man Welterweight Grand Prix Tournament which will be broadcast on DAZN, and could have its first round on the Sept 29 event.

It follows the fight league's eight-man heavyweight World Grand Prix tournament which started this year, which has reached the semi-final stage with Chael Sonnen facing Fedor Emilianenko and Ryan Bader set to meet Matt Mitrione.

A wishlist of welterweights from the Bellator roster are currently under discussion for the Grand Prix and they could include two British fighters, but sources have confirmed to the Telegraph that the eight fighters have not yet been finalised, in spite of reports in the US media that the contestants have been signed to the format.

Those likely to be selected from 170lb roster are current belt holder Rory MacDonald, former champion Douglas Lima, Paul Daley, Michael Page, Andrey Koreshkov, Lorenz Larkin, Jon Fitch, and Ed Ruth. The details of the tournament are yet to be completed, with the possibility that the belt could change hands throughout the tournament, though that may not be workable.

Lyoto Machida, another Brazilian legend in MMA newly-signed to the organisation, is expected to make his Bellator debut in November. Machida will compete at both middleweight and light-heavyweight.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion announced last week that he had signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator, and although he had been given an equal counter-offer from the UFC, has decided to "start a new chapter, with a new fight family".

Overall, the Viacom-Bellator-DAZN deal marks another step forward as the landscape of sports broadcasting morphs into a new, more mobile, accessible era for fans and viewers.

DAZN will also move into boxing later this year in the USA. The Perform Group has signed a boxing deal with British promoter Eddie Hearn, who promotes boxing's biggest commodity in heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

The partnership involves exclusive events in the USA, starting in the autumn, while the Perform Group have recently added the second year of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS), another tournament format, to its portfolio.

The WBSS will include the bantamweight and junior welterweight divisions in its second season after a compelling first year in which the supermiddleweight and cruiserweight tournaments, due to culminate in the next three months, gripped boxing fans.

What is clear is that the company owned by billionaire businessman and philanthropist Sir Len Blavatnik, 61, the wealthiest person in the UK with a net worth of US $21.2 billion, is widening its reach on the developing sports streaming market.

The final piece in the broadcast jigsaw for mixed martial arts fans in the UK will be completing a deal for Bellator events to be shown live. The UFC is currently shown on BT Sport, a subscription channel. Viacom owns Channel 5 in the UK, as well as , which would be the perfect platform to reach a wider audience and develop a following there.

Coker intimated after the historic Bellator 200 event in London in May that there are plans to develop a series of fight nights in the UK - "between 6 to eight events" - and has inferred to The Telegraph that a deal will be struck this autumn which will change MMA's visibility in the UK.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/mma/201....mc_id=tmg_share_tw&__twitter_impression=true

Congratulations to DAZN! They hit a jackpot!

 

[podsox]

Most bellator cards are crap. As much as I'm looking forward to Rory-Gerard, I'm not getting locked into some bs contract with dzn or whatever it's called