The Foxtel Group and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) have signed a multi-year agreement which will see Main Event – available only on Foxtel and Kayo Sports - become the exclusive home of pay-per-view (PPV) in Australia from January 1, 2024.
Under the new agreement, fans looking to purchase a PPV via UFC Fight Pass will be redirected to Foxtel and Kayo Sports’ Main Event platform for exclusive access to fights. UFC Fight Pass will continue to showcase archived bouts, highlights and breaking UFC news from around the world.
UFC’s popularity has soared since it was first broadcast in Australia in 2008. There are now more than 700 million UFC fans across the globe and in Australia and New Zealand, UFC counts more than 4.3 million fans.
Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany said for 15 years, Foxtel has been bringing the biggest UFC fights to Australian audiences and this new agreement will extend and elevate that partnership on the cusp of a golden era for the sport.
"UFC boasts the youngest fan base of any professional sport in the country and it’s exciting to continue our partnership with a brand that has such enormous growth potential – both at home and abroad," he said.
"It’s the perfect match for our more than 3 million sports subscribers streaming on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.”
Rebecca McCloy, Foxtel's executive director of commercial, sport, said as the network continues to grow subscribers, the UFC continues to grow their popularity with fans around the world.
"We are proud to be the home of Australia’s biggest and most popular sports and this deal complements other long-term rights agreements we have with the National Rugby League, Cricket Australia, the Australian Football League, No Limit Boxing, Supercars Australia, Netball Australia and many others," she said.
Dana White, UFC's president, said he is excited to extend the broadcast partnership with Foxtel Group.
"Foxtel and Kayo Sports are the best sports broadcasters in the country and they have backed UFC in Australia since the beginning," said White.
"Together, we will continue to grow UFC in Australia and they will be the destination for the biggest and baddest fights we put on year-round.”
UFC action is bound for Sydney this September as part of UFC 293 at Qudos Bank Arena. Fans will be able to purchase the PPV via Main Event, available on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
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