DAZN is the new home of PFL in the UK and Europe after the promotion announced a multi-year partnership with the streaming service.
PFL CEO Peter Murray announced the news alongside Shay Segev, the CEO of DAZN, at the streaming service’s headquarters in London. Top fighters for the promotion such as Dakota Ditcheva and Stevie Ray, who fights for $1million in the promotion’s lightweight finals next month, were also in attendance for the announcement.
The promotion signed a broadcast deal with free-to-air UK network Channel 4 earlier this year, but that partnership will come to an end at the beginning of 2023. The PFL Championships on November 25 will mark the last event aired on Channel 4 but PFL will remain on ESPN in the US and Canada, as the promotion will also air their pay-per-view super fight division exclusively on DAZN outside of those regions.
WHat are your thoughts on PFL signing with DAZN? Let us know in the comments section below
DAZN will also become a founding partner of PFL Europe, an International league that begins next year which is separate from the promotion’s main roster. Fighters such as Ditcheva, who is back in action for the PFL next month, will compete in the European league for the chance to earn a spot on the promotion's main roster.
Murray said of the news: "DAZN is a leader of mainstream sports and this illustrates that MMA is mainstream on a major platform like DAZN and fans will now have access to PFL events year-round. I think it's a mutually beneficial partnership, we recognise the role that DAZN play as a sports leader. We think what they're doing is very disruptive and innovative, it's in line with our brand and positioning.
"This first regional league, PFL Europe, in partnership with DAZN illustrates our global ambition. Over the next three years, we will have at least six regional leagues outside of the US. We're a fighter first organisation, our focus is to give fighters more opportunities to compete against top talent on major premium platforms and DAZN enables that."
PFL hosted two UK events in August, but a 10pm embargo restricted the events from being shown on Channel 4. Ray believes the PFL’s decision to partner with DAZN is one that benefits both the promotion and fighters, due to the network’s boxing experience. “DAZN specialises in boxing, they know what they’re doing and they know how to promote. Whereas with Channel 4, there was a block on some of the PFL cards so they weren’t as experienced in showing combat sports," Ray said.
