UFC and Fox Networks Group Latin America announced a multi-year deal to bring the sport to the region. Fox will air over 160 hours of live UFC content annually, including primetime UFC pay-per-view events, UFC Fight Nights and The Ultimate Fighter TV series. The partnership starts on Saturday. UFC content will be available on Fox Sports and Fox Premium App & TV, FNG Latin America's exclusive entertainment experience, reaching over 44 million households in Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. Mexico will become part of the licensed territory starting in '19. The promotion also announced that it will return to Mexico City on Aug. 5. UFC debuted in Mexico in '14 with UFC 180, and this year's event will be UFC's fifth card in the country. Ticket and card information will be released at a later date (UFC).
IMG extended its global media rights deal outside the Netherlands with the Eredivisie to the '21-22 season. The four-year deal also includes the league's int'l online live broadcasting rights (IMG).
Six Nations Rugby re-awarded its int'l media distribution rights to London-based sports marketing agency Pitch Int'l. Pitch will distribute the Six Nations rugby media rights through the '21 season (Six Nations).
The BBC will broadcast live TV coverage of England's rugby tour to Argentina in June. The English team will face the Pumas in Test matches on June 10 and June 17 -- and both will be live on BBC Two (BBC).
Esports event promoter ESL announced a deal with Emirates Airlines to have on-demand esports content on all flights "through the in-flight entertainment systems." Emirates is "already involved in esports" with the FA holding the Emirates FA Cup FIFA 17 earlier this month. The event was at Wembley Stadium and replicated the format of the FA Cup (ESPORTS OBSERVER, 5/11).
