Bt Sport Extends UFC Rights Deal
The world’s biggest mixed martial arts organisation, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and BT Sport have announced a new multi-year media rights deal that builds upon their existing broadcast partnership for the UK and Ireland, ensuring that BT Sport will remain the sport’s exclusive media home.
The agreement features all live UFC events, including numerous events and Fight Nights, plus additional programming that includes popular original shows such as UFC Countdown and UFC Connected, classic combat sports events, and replays of some of the biggest fights in UFC history.
BT Sport has been the UFC’s UK broadcast partner since 2013, last extending in 2019. The agreement is the first major rights renewal signed by the network since BT finalised its joint venture agreement with Warner Brothers Discovery earlier this month.
UFC President, Dana White, said, “We were blown away by the awesome response from the fans at our London event earlier this year. The fans from the UK and Ireland love this sport and they have always been great to us. And now, our roster of talent from these countries is the strongest it’s ever been. We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with BT Sport to keep promoting these athletes, building stars, and broadcasting the best combat sports events on the planet to these incredible fans.”
Rachel Knight, Sports Rights Director, BT Sport said, “BT Sport is delighted to continue our successful partnership with UFC. We are entering a golden age for the sport in the UK and Ireland, with an incredibly exciting roster of local talent coming through. We look forward to working closely with these brilliant athletes and with UFC to continue to tell the stories and showcase the sport to our viewers in the years to come.”
Following a three-year absence, UFC returned to the UK earlier this year in March with an event at the O2. UFC FIGHT NIGHT: VOLKOV vs. ASPINALL recorded a gate of £3.5M, making it the highest grossing single sporting event in O2 history. Seven British fighters on the card scored victories, including Tom Aspinall, Molly McCann, and Paddy Pimblett, highlighting the level of MMA talent currently in the UK.
With this hugely successful return, UFC cemented ITS commitment to the market with the return of a second event in London, scheduled to take place on Saturday 23rd July at The O2. UFC has held 28 total events in the UK and Ireland since 2002, and every event has sold out.
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