UFC inks new TV deal for UK & Ireland

wobbelyheadbob

The UFC previously held a deal with ESPN and Setanta Sports to provide coverage for live events and thus the UFC held shows in England and Ireland. When that deal fell through, the UFC hosted less live events in the area, but it looks like British fans can rejoice with the announcement that the UFC has signed a new deal with the to-be-launched BT Sport:

As we reported previously on Mirror Online, the UFC deal - which was officially announced this morning - is set to offer comprehensive coverage of the world's biggest MMA promotion, with live events backed up with BT-produced primetime magazine shows and highlight programming aimed at introducing the fast-rising sport of mixed martial arts to a new audience.

The three-year partnership will see all of UFC’s live and taped programming broadcast on the BT Sport channels and, for the first time, will include originally produced programming for the UK and Irish audience with exclusive access which will result in up to 400 hours of TV programming to UFC’s loyal fanbase.

anyone know anything about BT Sport? will it be available on upc?

califano

wobbelyheadbob wrote: »

anyone know anything about BT Sport? will it be available on upc?

No. Just sky.

RainMaker

Well they now own ESPN, so it might not mean any difference really.

We'll just have to wait and see, just hope it's all sorted before the Boston card! Although as they have bought Prem league rights as well, I assume they will have all their package deals sorted out before the start of August!

Ray Mond

Does sky get it for free?

dave1982

BT Sport is an upcoming group of sports television channels in the United Kingdom and Ireland, owned by BT Group, scheduled to launch in August 2013. The channels will be based at the former International Broadcast Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.[1]
Plans for the channels launch came about when it was announced in June 2012 that the broadcast rights to the Premier League from the 2013–14 to 2015–16 season were awarded to BT and BSkyB, outbidding current broadcaster ESPN for the rights.[2] BT plan to show 38 live matches from the Premier League each season. In October 2012 BT announced it had also signed deals to air Serie A, Ligue 1, Brasileirão and Major League Soccer, all of which were also broadcast on ESPN,[3] as well as Premiership Rugby.[4] In January 2013 BT announced they will also broadcast Women's Tennis Association matches from 21 tournaments.[5]
On 25 February 2013, BT announced that it had acquired ESPN's UK channels and their sports broadcasting rights, including rights to the FA Cup, UEFA Europa League, Scottish Premier League, Bundesliga and NASCAR.[6] The deal is expected to close on 31 July 2013, by when BT will continue to operate one ESPN-branded channel as part of BT Sport.
BBC Sport presenter Jake Humphrey has been announced as presenter of Premier League coverage.[7] Former England Rugby world cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio will present Premiership Rugby,[8] and Clare Balding will host a sports talk show.[9]
On 2 May 2013, BT Sport 1 and 2 were added to the BT Vision EPG, followed by Sky the next day along with an on-screen message that the channel was coming soon. On Sky, the channels replaced BT's placeholders, Sailing 1 and 2.[10]
On 7 May 2013, BT Sport acquired the rights to air Ultimate Fighting Championship events and taped programming in the UK and Ireland for three years, from 1 August.[11]
References

Sounds like it will be pay channel

peteeeed

not good news

UK prices below

When BT first announced that it was bidding for some of the Premier League live football rights, many were unsure how they would be used. Now we know.

BT Sport will be comprised of a suite of channels, with BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 2 joined by the newly acquired ESPN. And, most importantly, all output will be free to BT broadband customers. It will cost £3 per month for the HD services, but that fee will be waived for a year if customers sign up before 1 August.

High definition versions of the channels will also be available to non-BT broadband customers on Sky for £15 per month or £12 per month for just the standard definition broadcasts. There's no word yet on whether Virgin Media will be taking the BT Sport output.

A new app will be launched to bring BT Sport channels to PCs, smartphones and tablet devices, while customers wanting to watch them on a television will require a YouView and BT Vision+ set-top-box. Paid subscribers and Sky subscribers with BT broadband can also use a Sky+ or Sky+HD box.

The TV service will be delivered over broadband, and BT will handle all subscriptions for its sports services, even from Sky customers.

"UK Sports fans have had a rough deal for too long. Many have been priced out of the market but we will change this by giving away BT Sport for free with our broadband. Sports fans are the winners today," said Ian Livingston, BT chief executive.

"BT Sport will complement our world class fibre network. Customers don’t have to take BT Infinity to get BT Sport but we are encouraging them to move onto fibre broadband so they can enjoy the best of both worlds."

Interested customers can pre-register their interest at btsport.com.
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/120927-bt-sport-channels-to-be-free-to-bt-broadband-customers-15-for-sky

JoeyJJ

I asked on the UPC forum recently about BT, interesting to see if they get it, surely they will be able to deal with bt.

JacksonHeightsOwn

unless its free, i wont be buying it.

you only serve to increase those idiot footballers already overly inflated wages. No thanks

Mr. Manager

If anybody gets this and lets me use their login details to watch it online here in Malta I'll gladly share the price.

themandan6611

Cereal Rapist wrote: »

If anybody gets this and lets me use their login details to watch it online here in Malta I'll gladly share the price.

no bother, send me your bank details and I will send you log in details.

DrPhilG

I said it already in the general UFC thread, I'm just waiting and expecting them to screw over the Irish.

Like when they announced TUF as free for everyone and then realised later that 5USA or whatever it wasn't available on Sky in Ireland.

They will sort out the UK deal and assume that its the same for us which it rarely is.

The fact that they have released UK pricing and availability options etc but no info at all yet for Ireland sums it up.

UncleChael

This article has popped up on the rte website,
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/english/2013/0510/391492-bt-sport/

No deal has been done yet between BT and UPC/Sky Ireland, but they are hopeful one will be done by the start of the new premiership season, the ufc is mentioned in there as well.

JoeyJJ

Everyone start annoying Dana about it, nothing he can do about it, however he will bitch if everyone annoys him about it.

ATMatm

Nothing has been announced yet. The ESPN deal was more favourable to Irish digital subscribers than it was to UK consumers. BT don't have much in the way of business over here so they can't do the same sort of deals as they can in the UK. It'll either be the same or slightly more expensive than ESPN. Everyone needs to relax.

DrPhilG

Wasn't ESPN free over here IF you had the full Sky Sports package? Doubt that BT Sport will do the same deal.

DrPhilG

JoeyJJ wrote: »

Everyone start annoying Dana about it, nothing he can do about it, however he will bitch if everyone annoys him about it.

Waste of time, Dana has no problem flat out ignoring people when it's an issue that someone else should be dealing with.

Unless someone wants to tell Conor McGregor that the UFC are shafting the Irish again...

ATMatm

DrPhilG wrote: »

Wasn't ESPN free over here IF you had the full Sky Sports package? Doubt that BT Sport will do the same deal.

It didn't start off like that. If I recall correctly it was discounted with the sports package at it's inception in 2009. It was integrated free with the sports package once it was clear that they were not making significant money in the region.

DrPhilG

Yeah I remember getting the sports pack free for 3 months and getting ESPN included, but then when the sports pack went back to full price I had to cancel the sports and add ESPN by itself.

Mr. Manager

themandan6611 wrote: »

no bother, send me your bank details and I will send you log in details.

Not sure if levelling me or not but on the off chance you're not, I'd rather ship funds by PayPal.

Easy Rod

Cereal Rapist wrote: »

Not sure if levelling me or not but on the off chance you're not, I'd rather ship funds by PayPal.

Wait a second... that's not the wallet inspector!

DrPhilG

Still no sign of an Irish deal?

SevereMMA

Apparently it will be on Setanta until BT is available on UPC aswell as SKY in Ireland

El Guapo!

SevereMMA wrote: »

Apparently it will be on Setanta until BT is available on UPC aswell as SKY in Ireland

The free Setanta or the one you have to pay for?

ATMatm

El Guapo! wrote: »

The free Setanta or the one you have to pay for?

If its anything like UFC 100 or UFC on Fox 1 it will be made freeview for the duration of the broadcast.

I've been on to Setanta and no one could tell me a thing. It's still six weeks out so everything should unravel.

DrPhilG

ATMatm wrote: »

If its anything like UFC 100 or UFC on Fox 1 it will be made freeview for the duration of the broadcast.

I've been on to Setanta and no one could tell me a thing. It's still six weeks out so everything should unravel.

Freeview for the duration of the broadcast generally means you can't record it. If you do and then try to watch the recording, it's encrypted again as the channel is not free at that time.

I know from experience, as MUTV was free for a day once and I recorded a load of stuff. Tried to watch it the next day and it was unavailable.

In other words, it's not a solution unless you watch live til 6am...

ATMatm

DrPhilG wrote: »

Freeview for the duration of the broadcast generally means you can't record it. If you do and then try to watch the recording, it's encrypted again as the channel is not free at that time.

I know from experience, as MUTV was free for a day once and I recorded a load of stuff. Tried to watch it the next day and it was unavailable.

In other words, it's not a solution unless you watch live til 6am...

I recorded UFC on Fox 1 in Setana and watched it the next day. Had it in my box for a bit as the Guida/Henderson fight.

I have a Sky box by the way, don't know of that would make a difference in matters.

I would prefer some clarity from either BT, Setanta or the UFC though!