PFL secures Warner Bros. Discovery media rights deal, Bellator Champions Series to stream on Max

[Primetyme199]

https://www.mmamania.com/2024/3/19/2410 ... elfast-mma

Bellator MMA has found a new streaming home. A couple of months after Professional Fighters League (PFL) took ownership of the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, the former Paramount Global-owned company’s U.S. media rights will now go to Warner Bros. Discovery.

Per a press release, the new “Bellator Champions Series” events will now air on Max — which currently has over 90 million subscribers — starting with Bellator Belfast, which is set to go down this Friday (Mar. 22, 2024) in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Furthermore, That event will be the first of eight fight cards PFL has planned for Bellator — which previously aired on Showtime — in 2024.

Furthermore, TNT Sports will be televising Bellator content throughout the year on the “TNT Sports on truTV” programming block, though details have yet to be revealed. Plus, all Max subscribers will have access to a couple of new upcoming docuseries, as well as the Bellator fight library.

Bellator Belfast will feature a Light Heavyweight title fight as Corey Anderson and Karl Moore via for the vacant strap. This will be Anderson’s third attempt to win the 205-pound title after coming up short two previous times against Vadim Nemkov, who vacated the title earlier this year. As for Moore, after securing four straight wins under the Bellator banner, he will have the opportunity to win the belt in front of his hometown crowd.

In the co-main event, Patricio Pitbull will put his Featherweight title on the line against Jeremy Kennedy. Currently in the midst of a rare two-fight losing streak, Pitbull will attempt to get back in the win column against a PFL, UFC and Bellator veteran who is currently enjoying a three-fight win streak.

In further action, former Middleweight title contender, Fabian Edwards, collides with Aaron Jeffery, while James Gallagher battles Leandro Higo in a pivotal Featherweight affair. Kicking off the main card will be a Lightweight fight between Tim Wilde and Manouel Sousa.

As for PFL, it also recently locked down a multi-year media rights deal with ESPN to stream its regular season all the way to the world championships on ESPN+. Furthermore ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV) will be the home of the promotion’s “Super Fight” division in 2024.

[Barry_BondsMVP]

I saw that Coker started up another organization in San Jose. Good for him.

[Primetyme199]

I saw that Coker started up another organization in San Jose. Good for him.

Not sure if he started it or not. I read he is a producer for it.

[Canvas]

So now it's just called max? They dropped HBO from the title?

And if they are showing this, why can't they bring back WCB and BAD?

[Primetyme199]

So now it's just called max? They dropped HBO from the title?

And if they are showing this, why can't they bring back WCB and BAD?

When WCB and BAD was televised, HBO paid for all the production and everything else. My guess is MAX is paying them only to use their content. The costs associated with the production, salaries, and everything else will fall on Bellator or the parent company PFL.

PFL and Bellator have done this in the past with the channels they have been on. They get paid for their content but they are responsible for all costs associated with each show.

That’s how UFC Fight Pass works with everything on there that isn’t UFC. They pay for the content while everything else is paid for by the promotion.

[Canvas]

When WCB and BAD was televised, HBO paid for all the production and everything else. My guess is MAX is paying them only to use their content. The costs associated with the production, salaries, and everything else will fall on Bellator or the parent company PFL.

PFL and Bellator have done this in the past with the channels they have been on. They get paid for their content but they are responsible for all costs associated with each show.

That’s how UFC Fight Pass works with everything on there that isn’t UFC. They pay for the content while everything else is paid for by the promotion.

You are probably right. So it's like Haymon's deal with Amazon. I believe PBC does their own production. That's why long-time Haymon puppet Stephen "The Weasel" Espinoza was brought along to continue working for them.

Top Rank used to do beautiful, high quality productions in-house and stream them on Top Rank TV over the internet.

I don't know if I have ever seen a PFL or Bellator production. Are they any good?

[Primetyme199]

When WCB and BAD was televised, HBO paid for all the production and everything else. My guess is MAX is paying them only to use their content. The costs associated with the production, salaries, and everything else will fall on Bellator or the parent company PFL.

PFL and Bellator have done this in the past with the channels they have been on. They get paid for their content but they are responsible for all costs associated with each show.

That’s how UFC Fight Pass works with everything on there that isn’t UFC. They pay for the content while everything else is paid for by the promotion.

You are probably right. So it's like Haymon's deal with Amazon. I believe PBC does their own production. That's why long-time Haymon puppet Stephen "The Weasel" Espinoza was brought along to continue working for them.

Top Rank used to do beautiful, high quality productions in-house and stream them on Top Rank TV over the internet.

I don't know if I have ever seen a PFL or Bellator production. Are they any good?

It’s ok, they make mistakes often. It’s not on the level of the UFC.