FOXTEL AND UFC ANNOUNCE KNOCK-OUT BROADCAST AGREEMENT

18/07/2012

Foxtel today announced an historic broadcast agreement for the subscription television broadcaster to be the only destination in Australia for the world's fastest growing sports organisation, the Ultimate Fighting Championship.From July 2012, Foxtel will be the only place on Australian television to see LIVE fights and the most popular shows from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) under a two-year, multi-channel agreement involving Fuel TV, FOX SPORTS, FX, andMain Event.

Broadcasting the world's premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation since 2007 on Fuel TV, Foxtel will now be home to the most premium UFC content ever seen in Australia across its channels.

In Sydney to announce the new broadcast agreement, UFC President, Dana White, said: "The UFC is the most exciting sports organisation in the world and Foxtel is the no.1 entertainment company in Australia, so this is a perfect match.Australia is pound-for-pound the no.1 UFC market for its size, and we are now going to give them more UFC content than ever before. With Foxtel, they won't miss a single minute of the action". 

FOX SPORTS Australia Chief Executive, Patrick Delany, said: "The UFC has become a major player in sports entertainment in Australia. Its growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. In the US, the popularity rivals the 'big four' of the NFL, NBA,NHL and MLB and the new partnership with Foxtel will see the UFC explode here in Australia."

"Fuel TV has aired UFC programming for several years, but this new multi-channel arrangement on Foxtel promises fans they won't miss a single event. From live fights to the unscripted drama of The Ultimate Fighter series, there is now a homefor it all on Foxtel," said Delany.

In a further coup for Australian UFC fans, Foxtel channel FX has announced the first ever locally-produced UFC series, The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs UK -The Smashes, to debut Wednesday September 19 at 7:30pm AEST on FX.

FOX International Channels' Managing Director, Karin Simoncini, said: "FX is the home of dramatic entertainment and I can't think of a show that has more drama than The Ultimate Fighter. This is FX' first local commission and we are veryproud to be teaming with the UFC to find the next Ultimate Fighter here in Australia."

Foxtel will broadcast LIVE UFC fights across Fuel TV, FOX SPORTS, FX and Main Event, plus all new series of long-running UFC programs The Ultimate Fighter and Unleashed.

· Fuel TV will be the main hub for UFC content on FOXTEL, with LIVE coverage of all available Pay-Per-View prelims, UFC on Fuel TV events, UFC on Fox and UFC on FX events including pre and post shows for both where they are produced, LIVE weigh ins, and a new series Ultimate Insider.
· FX will provide first run and archive series of The Ultimate Fighter including the UFC's first locally commissioned series The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs UK - The Smashes
· FOX SPORTS will for the first time screen LIVE UFC fights. At least six LIVE events per year will air on FOX SPORTS' primary channels and will feature the best fights available outside the Pay-Per-View events.
· Main Event will continue to offer the best UFC action from across the globe with LIVE coverage of every major Pay-Per-View event.Foxtel has also created a new online home for the UFC, www.ufconfoxtel.com, which features the latest news and video, series and program information, a TV guide dedicated to UFC programming, and a live Twitter stream so fans can keep up with all the action.

WWW.UFCONFOXTEL.COM

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Universally recognized for its action-packed, can't-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world's premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. In 2011, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which now airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 149 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

About FOXTEL
FOXTEL is one of Australia's most progressive and dynamic media companies, directly employing around 2,500 people, and delivering a diverse subscription television service to both regional and metropolitan areas over cable, satellite and broadband distribution. We offer a better entertainment experience every day to each one of our 2.2 million subscribing homes through delivery of exclusive and inspiring programming across all genres, the world's most popular channel brands, and investment in high quality local content. As constant champions of innovation we have brought customers the latest personal digital recording technology, Australia's largest HD offering, FOXTEL 3D, and this year, the most comprehensive Olympic Games coverage Australia has ever seen. FOXTEL is owned by Telstra Corporation Limited ACN 051 775 556 (50%), The News Corporation Ltd (25%), and Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (25%). www.foxtel.com.au

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