BBC Three and the UFC announced that they formed an "editorial and promotional partnership" to bring mixed martial arts to a mass audience. The new deal sits outside of the current U.K. broadcast relationship with BT Sport and will include BT offering preview and behind-the-scenes content via its "recently-launched online digital platform." The partnership "will commence this week," building up to this Saturday's UFC London card headlined by Michael Bisping's bout with Anderson Silva at the O2 Arena (London INDEPENDENT, 2/22). ...
More than 100 hours of this year's Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro "will be broadcast live in France following a groundbreaking new deal."
National TV broadcaster France Télévisions will "show a live daily show from the Brazilian city during the Games," due to take place between Sept. 7-18, on its France 4 and France 2 channels.
It "will be broadcast each day in France between 7pm and 4am" (INSIDE THE GAMES, 2/20). ... Eleven Sports Network has further expanded its distribution in Poland by signing an agreement with Orange Polska to broadcast its Eleven and Eleven Sports channels. Eleven Sports Network's content will be shown on its two channels and will be made available in the Orange Polska Bogaty package on channel numbers 122 and 123 (Eleven Sports Network).
