The UFC signs bumper broadcast deal in Australia

17 July 2012 | Posted in Broadcast, Martial Arts, Oceania | By Tom Love

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced a new two-year broadcast agreement in Australia involving pay-television company Foxtel, Premier Media Group-owned Fox Sports Australia, Fox International's Fuel TV and pay-per-view television channel Main Event.

In a similar setup to the MMA promotion's US broadcast arrangement, the new agreement, financial details of which were not released, will see the entire range of UFC events aired across Fox Sports Australia, Fuel TV and FX - all of which are carried by Foxtel.

According to an official statement on Foxsports.com.au:

'Fuel TV will be the main hub for UFC content on Foxtel, with live coverage of all available pay-per-view prelims, UFC on Fuel TV events, UFC on Fox and UFC on FX events including pre and post shows for both where they are produced, live weigh ins, and a new series Ultimate Insider.

FX will provide first run and archive series of The Ultimate Fighter including the UFC’s first locally commissioned series The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs UK – The Smashes•

Fox Sports will for the first time screen live UFC fights. At least six live events per year will air on Fox Sports’ primary channels and will feature the best fights available outside the pay-per-view events.

Main Event will continue to offer the best UFC action from across the globe with live coverage of every major pay-per-view event.'

"The UFC is the most exciting sports organisation in the world and Foxtel is the number one entertainment company in Australia, so this is a perfect match," said UFC president Dana White speaking from Sydney to announce the agreement. "Australia is pound-for-pound the number one UFC market for its size, and we are now going to give them more UFC content than ever before. With Foxtel, they won’t miss a single minute of the action."

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Fox Sports Australia chief executive Patrick Delany added, "The UFC has become a major player in sports entertainment in Australia. Its growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. In the US, the popularity rivals the ‘big four’ of the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB and the new partnership with Foxtel will see the UFC explode here in Australia.

"Fuel TV has aired UFC programming for several years, but this new multi-channel arrangement on Foxtel promises fans they won’t miss a single event. From live fights to the unscripted drama of The Ultimate Fighter series, there is now a home for it all on Foxtel."

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