Bellator will soon have all of their events broadcast live.
For years, fans have been clamoring for Bellator to end the reign of tape-delay broadcasts. The Paramount Network, formerly known as Spike TV, has always been known to be allergic to airing cards overseas live. Even the milestone event that was Bellator 200 didn’t air live in the United States. The event took place inside The SSE Arena, Wembley in London, England.
Now, fight fans can rejoice at least somewhat. At a press conference in New York City, Bellator announced a nine-figure, multi-year deal with DAZN which is a live sports streaming service. The service is currently $20 a month in Canada, but there’s no word on what its price point will be in the United States. DAZN will be available in the U.S. before Bellator’s big Sept. 29 event.
Here’s what Bellator president Scott Coker had to say on the deal:
“This exciting new partnership with DAZN is a game-changer for Bellator. 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 Sept. 29 Bellator card will air exclusively on DAZN. This will feature the fourth bout between Quinton Jackson and Wanderlei Silva. A “super fight” between middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi and welterweight title holder Rory MacDonald was made official during the press conference. The Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix will also be introduced.
Bellator officials confirmed to MMAJunkie.com that DAZN will air all Bellator events live, even if The Paramount Network airing chooses to do a tape-delay.
What do you think of Bellator’s new deal with DAZN? Do you think you’ll invest in a subscription?
