Bellator Scores Multi-Tiered TV Deal
Jake Rossen Oct 20, 2009
After some months of gamely facing press with a “tell you later”
shrug, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has circulated that his upstart
promotion -- previously on ESPN Deportes and YouTube -- has scored
a multi-platform deal with three networks.
Beginning in April, Bellator’s second “season” of tournament-style fighting will air live on Fox Sports Net; a pre-digested package of highlights will circulate during NBC’s insomnia programming block Sunday mornings; Telemundo will carry footage for Spanish-speaking viewers.
All of this sounds important and impressive, and Bellator is one of the few promotions to crop up in the post “Ultimate Fighter” climate that doesn’t prompt fans to shake their heads in embarrassment -- but the idea of building a brand using the Fox Sports Net infrastructure as a crutch is suspect. FSN has never given birth to any cultural “event” programming -- unless you count Tom Arnold’s inexplicable multi-year employment on “The Best Damn Sports Show, Period” -- while prior broadcasts by UFC and Pride were frequently disrupted and stuttered by ball games. This is not a station that puts a lot of emphasis on a regular schedule, and that’s a fairly crucial component of drawing an audience.
But -- Bellator has respect for their cash flow, doesn’t distract itself with gimmick programming, and doesn’t appear to be treating its business model as a sprint. FSN may not be a ticket to sold-out arenas and public stock offerings, but it may be the right fit at the right time.
Beginning in April, Bellator’s second “season” of tournament-style fighting will air live on Fox Sports Net; a pre-digested package of highlights will circulate during NBC’s insomnia programming block Sunday mornings; Telemundo will carry footage for Spanish-speaking viewers.
All of this sounds important and impressive, and Bellator is one of the few promotions to crop up in the post “Ultimate Fighter” climate that doesn’t prompt fans to shake their heads in embarrassment -- but the idea of building a brand using the Fox Sports Net infrastructure as a crutch is suspect. FSN has never given birth to any cultural “event” programming -- unless you count Tom Arnold’s inexplicable multi-year employment on “The Best Damn Sports Show, Period” -- while prior broadcasts by UFC and Pride were frequently disrupted and stuttered by ball games. This is not a station that puts a lot of emphasis on a regular schedule, and that’s a fairly crucial component of drawing an audience.
But -- Bellator has respect for their cash flow, doesn’t distract itself with gimmick programming, and doesn’t appear to be treating its business model as a sprint. FSN may not be a ticket to sold-out arenas and public stock offerings, but it may be the right fit at the right time.
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