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| (Image Source: Digital TV Europe/Professional Fighters League) |
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) officially announced a new multi-year media rights agreement with ESPN which includes live event distribution of the PFL Regular Season, Playoffs and World Championship on ESPN linear networks and ESPN+ and of the new PFL PPV Super Fight Division on ESPN+ PPV in the United States. The PFL features some of the sport’s top fighters who will also be highlighted across ESPN platforms in pre- and post-fight coverage, as well as shoulder programming on linear and digital channels. PFL has also entered a strategic partnership with Dafabet to bring exciting content to fans in strategic markets in Asia. This collaboration aims to bring exciting content to fans in strategic markets across Asia, extending across PFL events in 2023 and 2024. This partnership represents a significant milestone for PFL in expanding its reach to a broader audience in the Asian region.
PFL Chief Executive Officer Peter Murray commented on the league's renewed broadcast partnership with ESPN in the US, saying, “We’ve had five successful seasons on ESPN and we’re excited for the next phase of growth for MMA and the Professional Fighters League with this agreement. Our innovative sport-season format, elite roster of athletes, and the launch of the PFL PPV Super Fight Division, which will feature some of the world’s greatest combat sports stars such as Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul, are ushering in the new era of MMA as a mainstream global sports entertainment platform.” The PFL PPV Super Fight Division will be a global platform for some of the best MMA fighters and combat sports stars. Francis Ngannou, arguably one of the greatest heavyweight fighters in the world today, is under an exclusive MMA contract to fight in the division and is joined by one of the most influential figures in combat sports, Jake Paul, and women’s star fighters Claressa Shields, Amanda Serrano and Savannah Marshall. The first PFL PPV Super Fight will be in early 2024 with headlining fighters and location to be announced at a later date.
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| (Image Source: Sports Video Group/Professional Fighters League) |
On the other hand, Dafabet will receive access to social assets and premium footage, offering a unique perspective on PFL’s and its fighters’ journey in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) landscape. The specially curated content will be disseminated across both PFL and Dafabet’s social and digital channels, ensuring an immersive experience for PFL and MMA fans. Murray says, "PFL is thrilled to embark on this strategic partnership with Dafabet. Asia is one of PFL’s top growth markets and, with a leading partner like Dafabet, we aim to bring the thrilling world of MMA to an audience that has been underserved until now. This collaboration is a testament to PFL's commitment to global expansion and engaging with diverse fan bases." Dafabet's Head of Sponsorships John Cruces adds, “We’re very happy to be partnering up with PFL which is an exciting and forward-thinking MMA company. The sport is proving to be growing worldwide which we believe can only help us achieve mutual goals”. For more information about Dafabet and to stay updated on PFL-related content, please visit https://www.dafabet.com/en.
PFL is the only organization in MMA with the sports-season format where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year. PFL recently acquired Bellator MMA in an industry transformative deal which puts the league in position as a global MMA powerhouse. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight class, the same percentage as UFC, including some of the best female MMA fighters in the world today. PFL also has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA (Middle East and North Africa), and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience. PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries worldwide with 20 premium media distribution partners.
