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Bellator reaches multi-year, multi-platform rights agreement with ESPN Deportes

The MMA Report Staff

Bellator is returning to ESPN Deportes as the promotion has reached an exclusive multi-year, multi-platform rights agreement with the cable network to be the exclusive Spanish-language home for Bellator in the United States.

Jason Floyd - The MMA Report
Jason Floyd – The MMA Report

The rights agreement was announced by Bellator in a press release on Monday and the agreement starts with Saturday’s Bellator 142: Dynamite 1.

ESPN will be streaming preliminary card fights in Spanish starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN3 and ESPNDeportes+. As part of the deal, archival fights will also be made available to ESPN Deportes.

“ESPN Deportes has a long history of carrying premier sporting events, relevant to our Hispanic sports fans,” said Lino Garcia, general manager of ESPN Deportes. “We recognized the changes and growth of Bellator over the past year and, we are thrilled to see the world-class mixed martial arts organization return to its original television home.”

ESPN Deportes’ complete coverage will be led by Bellator announcers George X and Manny Rodríguez. George and Manny will be calling all the action available across ESPN Deportes TV, ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN.

“We are thrilled to deepen our connection with our growing Hispanic audience with this strategic partnership with ESPN Deportes,” Bellator President Scott Coker said.

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20 Responses

  1. Bellator picked the worst day to have this press release. Nobody covered it yesterday or today so far bc of the Nick Diaz suspension. But Scott Coker has done an amazing job since taking over Bellator. In January it will be 18 months since he’s been in charge.

    Btw you said last week that most ppl watch Bellator shoulder programming online. Only a couple ppl watch it online. Most ppl watch it on Spike TV. If you don’t believe I can send you the links to the ratings.

    Did you see Bellator’s top 20 knockouts in January and August? It did 654k viewers. And the 2nd top 20 knockouts after Bellator 141 did 466k viewers. Nobody really covered the ratings for the 2 top 20 knockout specials. Plus Bellator’s PPV did 890k viewers for replay on Spike TV 2 months after it aired on PPV.

    Even if they would put their shoulder programming on YouTube still more ppl would watch on it on Spike TV. Now when they put some fights on YouTube more ppl might watch than on Spike TV.

    Bellator has better ratings than UFC when it comes to shoulder programming and specials. And Bellator has way better ratings compared to TUF ratings. UFC and Bellator ratings are somewhat similiar comparing Spike vs FS1. But Bellator is on Friday nights the toughest night of the week in terms of tv competition.

  2. So are the Fox Sports Latin America deal and the ESPN Deportes deal separate from one another? I heard they’re gonna do some International events next yr. Maybe Brazil and UK. Do you think they might go to Mexico bc of these this new deal?

    2. There are separate deals. ESON Deportes is the exclusive Spanish home for Bellator in the United States. In terms of international shows, the most likely international shows at this point are Brazil and the U.K.

  3. Will fighter salaries, attendance, and gate be made public for Bellator Dynamite?

    I saw somewhere that Bellator Dynamite will be 3 1/2 hrs. How the hell can they fit 8 fights in that much time??

    Did you get my other ?’s a sent a couple of days ago when the press release came out for Bellator/ ESPN Deportes deal?

    2. Fighter payroll is public information in state of California. It’s up to Bellator or venue to release attendance and gate.

      Dynamite show is schedule for a little more than 3 hours. Obviously, they can go over if they have to.

      Terms of ESPN Deportes, I did not see them, but I will look for them.

  4. When will Bellator Dynamite’s shoulder programming ratings come out do you know?

    And btw what is your favorite adult beverage when watching MMA? I only ask bc you sometimes talk about it.

    1. I did not see the ratings when the Friday numbers came out earlier this week. In terms of the favorite beverage, just depends on how I am feeling that day. Could be a variety of beers or a Jack Daniels.

  5. Can you and Daniel Galvan talk about this Dave Meltzer article on the Dynamite preview show? And kinda talk about the future of Bellator going forward. What you guys like and didn’t like since Scott Coker’s took over.

    http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/9/17/9329035/scott-coker-wants-bellator-to-be-like-pride-but-only-better

    Dave says Bellator is in 134 countries worldwide. But Bellator added 6 more countries a couple of months ago. Now it’s 140 countries worldwide and in over 500 million homes.

    1. Just saw your comment and the show was already done before I saw this. I will bring this up on the post fight show, which will be released on Monday.

      1. When will the preview shows be up on Radio Influence/ The MMA Report? I been checking, but I don’t see them.

        1. Can you also talk about the future of WSOF on the post fight show? With all the moves they been making.

          Bringing in three top sports/ entertainment media figures. And if this will push them to the next level?

  6. What do you think about all these promotions copying what Bellator is doing? For example: WSOF doing prelims after the main card. Them having an app to score the fights as the fourth judge. And the one night tournament. Just like Bellator.

    Also Titan making their title vacant if Brett Jon’s opponent lost (which he did) and if he won he becomes champ when Jon’s missed weight. Just like what Bellator did with Halsey.

    And recently Legacy copying off of Bellator’s Dynamite concept by them doing MMA and Kickboxing in November on AXS TV.

    Companies and ppl should stop copying others and just try to be unique. Wouldn’t you agree with me Jason?

    1. In terms of stripping a champion for missing weight, Bellator was not the first promotion to do that in combat sports.

      End of the day, sports have always been a copy cat industry. When someone copies what you are doing, take it as a complement.

      1. I didn’t mean striping of a champion. I meant the opponent becoming champ if he wins and if he loses, it becomes vacant.

        But anyway every sport and form of entertainment copies one another. It’s just how it is. It means you’re doing something right.

        1. Maybe it’s always has been like that. I’m just noticing now bc it doesn’t happen often. But now it’s happening all the time lol.

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