Bellator Announces ‘Nine Figure’ Broadcast Deal with Streaming Partner DAZN
Bellator MMA is prepared for fans who want to cut the cord.
On Tuesday, Bellator officials announced a five year, ‘nine figure’ streaming deal with DAZN, a new platform that will launch in the United States later this year after already signing a massive deal with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
The full terms of the deal were no disclosed but Bellator officials confirmed that 15 of their events will be simulcast on both DAZN and the Paramount Network. The deal is also expected to end the problem of tape delayed broadcasts for Bellator with all events airing live as they happen on DAZN.
There will also be seven exclusive events airing on DAZN per year starting with the huge card planned for Sept. 29 in San Jose that will feature a champion versus champion showdown between middleweight king Gegard Mousasi and welterweight champ Rory MacDonald.
That card will also feature the fourth fight between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Wanderlei Silva as well as the launch of the Bellator welterweight Grand Prix and the entire event will air exclusively on DAZN.
“This exciting new partnership with DAZN is a game-changer for Bellator,” Bellator President Scott Coker said in a statement. “The investment will enable us to continue expanding our roster with free agents that make sense so we can put on pay-per-view-worthy fight cards that fans will want to see. Plus, on DAZN’s worldwide platform, our fights will be seen live for the first time to new audiences around the globe.”
The streaming deal will reportedly continue to funnel cash to Bellator, which will allow them to sign even more talent to add to the roster with their shows still airing on the Paramount Network in the United States.
Both the Paramount Network and Bellator MMA are owned by Viacom.
As of now, DAZN is only available in a few countries — Canada, Germany, Austria, Japan and Switzerland — but the service will be launched in the United States prior to the Sept. 29 card. There’s no word yet on the price for DAZN yet.
DAZN has made quite a few headlines in combat sports in recent months after inking the deal with Eddie Hearn, who is the promoter for British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, and now adding Bellator MMA to its line up.
Former ESPN president John Skipper serves as the executive chairman of the Perform Group, who own the DAZN streaming format so it appears he likely had a hand in all of these streaming deals that have been signed. Perform Group are also the owners of The Sporting News in the United States.
