(PRESS RELEASE) -- México D.F., May 29th, 2013 – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) and Televisa Networks today announced an exclusive distribution agreement to air UFC programming in 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, and have set to launch a 24 hour, 7 day a week UFC channel featuring the world’s best mixed martial arts programming including premiere live UFC events. The new subscription network will be available late 2013.
“The launch of the UFC Channel is a game changer for our sport and its fans throughout Latin America. We are giving millions of fans across the region complete access to all our live events and programming for the first time,” said Lorenzo Fertitta, owner and co-founder of Zuffa LLC, parent entity of the UFC. “UFC is the fastest growing sports organization in history and with the strength of Latin America’s premier media group Televisa, the UFC Channel will become the fastest growing sports network in television history,” added.
Bruce Boren, General Manager of Televisa Networks said: "The new UFC Channel occupies a coveted position in both sports entertainment and lifestyle ecosystems. Through live fights, UFC classic bouts, Strikeforce, Pride, and other related content for the mixed martial arts fans, this 24/7 channel further strengthens Televisa Networks’ offering ".
The UFC is growing in popularity at a rate never-before-seen in the professional sports world; its television programming is already available in over 800 million homes in more than 145 countries, in 28 different languages. The partnership between these two leaders -Televisa and the UFC, is in response to fan demand throughout Latin America. Today, in Mexico alone, the UFC fan base exceeds 33.4 Million people[1].
Before the dedicated UFC Subscription Channel launch, Televisa has the rights to air UFC content in 20 countries in Latin America, excluding Brazil, starting June 2013. Fans can watch UFC programming on TDN in Mexico and Golden Channel in Latin America, including four live events broadcast on Televisa free-to-air Channel 5 in Mexico and other Free-to-Air networks in Latin America, annually.
About the Ultimate Fighting Championship® Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces 35 live events annually. The UFC is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world with events distributed residentially through North American cable and satellite providers including iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group for live events and thousands of hours of programming including the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, moving to FOX Sports 1 in September 2013.
In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. International broadcasters include Globo TV and Globosat (Brazil), Sony (India), BT (United Kingdom/Ireland), RTL9 (France), OSN (Middle East/North Africa), Guangdong TV (China), WOWOW (Japan), Fox Sports (Australia) and more.
UFC content is distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.5 million followers on Twitter. UFC businesses also include best-selling DVDs, UFC FIT®, an in-home fitness and nutrition program, UFC 360 the internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new videogame franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fan Expo®, branded apparel and trading cards.
About Televisa Networks Televisa Networks is a subsidiary of Grupo Televisa that specializes in the design, production, programming and distribution of over 17 channel brands and more than 45 feeds in the Pay Television market. Our coverage spans the globe, reaching Mexico, US, Latin America, Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific. Our highly talented artists, quality productions, and wide variety of brands, satisfy the entertainment and informational needs of our diverse audience. Televisa Networks produces a award winning content; which enables us to offer a wide variety of services to our advertisers that go beyond the traditional 30 second spot. www.televisanetworks.com