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CBS may stay in MMA biz by inking ProElite

MMA TV rumors: Is FOX leading bidder for UFC? CBS may stay in MMA biz by inking ProElite
Posted on August 17, 2011 by admin

Mixed martial arts is in good shape if multiple networks are fighting for both the UFC and smaller promotions.

The UFC’s deal with Spike expires near the end of the year, so negotiations with some of the bigger power plays in the U.S. have been ongoing. A few months back, the Wall Street Journal reported that Comcast/NBC was hot and heavy for the UFC. That included the promotion possibly purchasing the Comcast owned G4 network. Now ESPN.com is saying Fox may be in the lead.

ESPN.com has learned that the UFC’s rumored 2012 broadcast deal with NBC and takeover of the company’s G4 network may not happen now, as the unconfirmed rumbling are that negotiations may have broken down. Several sources say Fox — including its FOX Network, FX, Fox Sports Net and Fuel properties — is the new front runner for a UFC distribution deal and that an agreement could be done by the end of the month.

It makes sense since the UFC announced a deal with Fox Sports Latin America on Thursday.

The deal gives FOX Sports the rights to air UFC content in 18 countries in Latin America, excluding Brazil. UFC fans in the region will now have access to the best mixed martial arts fights in the world. UFC events will be available on FOX Sports, FOX Sports+, and FOX Sports HD, and all live events will air on FOX Sports and FOX Sports HD on Saturdays at 10 pm (Buenos Aires) and 8 pm (Mexico City).

“We are excited to be able to bring our viewers a front row seat to the fastest growing sport in world,” said Patrick Ilabaca, VP of global marketing and business development, FOX Pan American Sports in UFC press release. “Through our agreement with UFC, mixed martial arts fans throughout Latin America will for the first time be able to watch live UFC events exclusively on FOX Sports, which were traditionally only available on Pay-Per-View.”

The handwriting is on the wall for Strikeforce and its Showtime deal. It’s only a matter of time before the desired fighters are brought on board with the UFC and the promotion is shutdown. So what does that mean for Showtime’s MMA future? Cage Potato says the pay network is looking for alternatives.

Sources close to the promotion that was recently brought back from the verge of death by Stratus Media Group, who acquired a 95 percent ownership stake of the company in June, have informed CagePotato.com that ProElite is in the final stages of negotiations for a multi-year television deal with Viacom that will see its events broadcast on both Showtime and CBS starting in the first quarter of 2012.

ProElite VP of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson spoke with AOL.com’s Ariel Helwani and said the rumors were false.

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