BT Sport will now televise and stream every live UFC event across the globe after extending its broadcast rights partnership with the company.
The renewed deal sees BT Sport retain exclusive live rights within the U.K. and Republic of Ireland, while enhancing its content portfolio by offering coverage of all U.S. numbered pay-per-view events and all EMEA events. In total, BT Sport is now set to show over 150 hours of live UFC action per year. During the partnership between BT Sport and UFC, which began in '13, MMA has seen a marked increase in popularity in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland (BT Sport). In London, James Edwards wrote the deal "comes after a bidding process believed to have taken place between both Sky Sports and BT." With BT's current deal only lasting for another four days, "it seems the bidding went down to the wire but after a long negotiation process, the full UFC package will stay on BT Sport." The announcement "comes ahead of the highly anticipated rematch between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz at UFC 202 in Las Vegas." UFC GM & VP of Europe, Middle East and Asia James Elliott "was the man who fronted the deal on the UFC side" (DAILY MIRROR, 7/27).
