LONDON: DAZN, the OTT sports streaming service owned by Perform Group, continues its expansion into different sports, acquiring the global streaming rights for Bellator, a top Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) property owned by Viacom.
A nine-figure, multi-year global distribution agreement was signed between the two parties, which would result in see 22 Bellator fights streamed live and on demand every year on DAZN. All the fights can be watched in countries where DAZN has launched itself in such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Canada, USA and Italy. Fans will be offered a one-month free trial to watch the matches anytime and anywhere without a long-term contract.
“The exciting new partnership with DAZN is a game-changer for Bellator,” said Bellator president Scott Coker. “The investment will enable us to continue expanding our roster with free agents that make sense, so we can put on PPV-worthy fight cards that fans 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.”
“Our multi-year streaming partnership with Bellator is a significant step in the development of DAZN and our fight sports offering. As the new destination for Bellator fans to watch all the action, it’s our aim to grow the popularity of the sport on the world stage, said DAZN CEO James Rushton.
“With the combination of this investment in Bellator and our recent announcement to bring more than 30 nights of boxing to the platform annually, DAZN is a must-have for fight fans across all our markets,” Rushton continued.
This development comes on the heels of the Perform Group signing a mega $1 billion deal for a JV with Matchroom Boxing in the United States, which will ensure that DAZN will be its exclusive broadcast partner as well. The company has the development of fight sports amongst its top priorities, as mentioned earlier.
Bellator will begin on Saturday, September 29 in San Jose. The day will also see the opening fight of the event’s first-ever Welterweight World Grand Prix, which will feature eight of the best welterweight fighters on the planet.
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