The following press release was issued today …
TSN, RDS and Fight Network partner with UFC in new multi-year contract
TORONTO (December 22, 2014) – TSN, RDS, Fight Network, and UFC®today announced a new multi-year agreement for Canadian media rights to UFC global events.
Bell Media’s TSN and RDS will deliver a slate of marquee UFC programming to fans across multiple platforms, including major live events, preliminary fights of UFC Pay-Per-View events, UFC Fight Night events, and The Ultimate Fighter series.
Fight Network will broadcast all UFC Fight Night events from around the world as well as preliminary bouts for domestic non-Pay-Per-View cards.
TSN and RDS will partner with Fight Network to produce an original live pre-fight program before Pay-Per-View events that will air on Canada’s #1 sports networks. Additional shoulder programming will air across TSN’s suite of five national feeds, giving UFC fans more access to programming than ever before.
As part of the partnership, TSN, RDS, and Fight Network will work together to provide effective sales and marketing of UFC broadcasts in Canada.
“We are excited to join forces with TSN and RDS to provide UFC’s one-of-a-kind content in English and French, through two of Canada’s most-watched specialty channels. On top of that, we have an agreement with Fight Network that will perfectly complement this coverage,” said Tom Wright, UFC Managing Director, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. “This is a huge win for Canadian UFC fans as they will have more content on broadcast television than ever before.”
“UFC is a marquee international property with a loyal and engaged Canadian fan base. UFC content and support programming will be a tremendous addition to our slate of championship events,” said Shawn Redmond, Vice-President of Programming and Marketing, TSN. “We are also looking forward to working with Fight Network to showcase original UFC content across our suite of five feeds.”
“We are thrilled to be entering into this prestigious multimedia partnership with UFC and Bell Media’s TSN and RDS, and we look forward to working with our colleagues to grow the UFC’s already significant fan base in Canada as well as helping to build the sport of mixed martial arts at the grassroots level,” said Leonard Asper, CEO, Fight Network.
TSN kicks off its UFC coverage on Saturday, Jan. 3 with COUNTDOWN TO UFC 182: JONES VS. CORMIER at 7 p.m. ET on TSN4 and TSN5. The countdown show leads into two hours of UFC 182 preliminary fight coverage at 8 p.m. ET, which features Danny Castillo vs. Paul Felder, Marcus Brimage vs. Cody Garbrandt, Shawn Jordan vs. Jarod Cannonier and Evan Dunham vs. Rodrigo Damm.
Additional UFC programming will launch on TSN and RDS in early 2015 and includes UFC NOW, UFC UNLEASHED, UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER, UFC COUNTDOWN, ROAD TO THE OCTAGON, event weigh-ins and press conferences.
This announcement follows TSN and RDS’s new broadcast rights agreement with UEFA, making the networks the new home of UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE and UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE.
In addition to its live coverage, Fight Network will be producing live pre-fight programming, live coverage of press conferences and weigh-ins, post-fight analysis, as well as library programming highlighting UFC’s finest fighters and moments leading up to today.
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