Bellator Announces Television Deal With MTV2
by Luke Thomas on Dec 14, 2010 11:28 AM EST
in Bellator News
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From a Bellator press release:
Bellator Fighting Championships, a growing force in the world of mixed martial arts, has a new television home, MTV2. It was announced today jointly by Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney and Eric Conte, SVP, Programming and Production, MTV2. The three-year deal will commence in 2011.
Featuring some of the sport's top stars, Bellator brings a unique format of world-class fighting to fans with 12-week, eight-man tournaments in respective weight classes. MTV2, which features the highest concentration of M12-24 and M12-34 in television, will telecast two of these LIVE tournaments per year, plus a collection of special feature events. The first tournament will premiere in March 2011.
"MTV2 is the perfect home for the intense mixed martial arts action of Bellator," Eric Conte, SVP, Programming and Production, MTV2. "MMA is at the top of our audience's wish list, and partnering with Bellator to bring live events and specials to MTV2 made complete sense since our viewers are so hungry to see more MMA on-air."
"We are thrilled to partner with MTV2 which has such a strong audience of hard-to-reach young guys," said Rebney. "With a timeslot on a prominent nationally-distributed cable network aimed at young men, we now have the perfect platform to showcase our exciting, action-packed tournaments and fighters."
No word yet on whether the FX deal is DOA, nonexistent or an augment to the existing MTV2 deal. Either way, this appears to be far better than the FoxSports arrangement from the initial view. More on this to come.
UPDATE: I just noticed something. As a DirecTV subscriber, I do not get MTV2 broadcast in high definition. I looked on Comcast's website and they don't appear to offer MTV2 in high definition either. Does anyone get MTV2 in high def through their cable provider?
UPDATE 2: Dish Network also does not carry MTV2 in HD.
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Very interesting.
If this deal is in addition to the FX deal, this is pretty nutso. They do have a solid product and it being airt live and on a set schedule would be huge.
That’s what I was thinking. MTV 2 is only showing two tournaments(they may break it into multiple shows). They might have the FX deal too.
It's official. Les Miles DOES NOT have a deal with the devil. He beat him Nov. 6th, 24-21.
yeah I was just saying I don’t know how MTV will break it down.
It's official. Les Miles DOES NOT have a deal with the devil. He beat him Nov. 6th, 24-21.
well its airing live so I don't really expect a big change in format
@TylerTreese on twitter
www.thatmmablog.blogspot.com/
by TylerTreese on Dec 14, 2010 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
there won't be any FX deal
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Nate Wilcox on Dec 14, 2010 12:36 PM EST up reply actions
Yeesh
This is a step down from FX.
Luke: What was our best moment?
Nate: When I banned Subo?
Luke: That was a good one.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Dec 14, 2010 12:57 PM EST up reply actions
MTV 2 is going for more of a alt sports vibe as of late.
LFBL
Bully beatdown
Nitro circus
Bellator.
"God bless....God."
Semper Fi'
Pain don't hurt...
yup
that too.
Plus Dana White has been on that show at least once.
MMA is gaining momentum.
"God bless....God."
Semper Fi'
Pain don't hurt...
Guess it's true
HOLLAAAAAA!!!!!
Let’s hope it’s not watered down cause it’s MTV. Full of reality shows and 20 yr old dumbassery. Not to say I don’t do 20 yr old dumbassery…
They made a video game about Yakuzas. It’s called Yakuza. And it’s about Yakuza
wow
not sure how this will turn out but it should be better than FX…maybe
Who's the only one here who knows illegal ninja moves from the government?
Wow
Another bad deal, lets not kid ourselves!
by BULLieS on Dec 14, 2010 11:34 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I just hope it doesn’t go too MTV. Could you imagine Bully Beatdown for an hour and a half?
It's official. Les Miles DOES NOT have a deal with the devil. He beat him Nov. 6th, 24-21.
Oh god...
Let’s hope they don’t throw some randoh TNA commentator reject for this. Let’s keep it in it’s roots for this one. And hope they don’t edit the shit out of it cause they have to squeeze in 16 and Pregnant or Spoiled Brat’s Birthday Extravaganza 2
They made a video game about Yakuzas. It’s called Yakuza. And it’s about Yakuza
Go too MTV?
Unless they are doctoring the format in a huge way I don’t see it. They aren’t adding a reality show.
This is a great way for Bellator be become relevant to pop culture.
I have a feeling that sense it’s on MTV they’re going to cater to their audience. I hope I’m wrong. Dead wrong.
It's official. Les Miles DOES NOT have a deal with the devil. He beat him Nov. 6th, 24-21.
yeah live MMA
terrible deal ::)
@TylerTreese on twitter
www.thatmmablog.blogspot.com/
by TylerTreese on Dec 14, 2010 11:49 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Terrible deal for me. MTV2 is not on my basic cable package.
by Steve4192 on Dec 14, 2010 1:23 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Good for Bellator.
But I can see this going the way of Iron Ring, or anything else that tries to change MMA to fit that audience. The only thing that frustrates me is that I don’t get MTV 2, and I would imagine no sports bar really gets it either, so I can’t watch it unless I look to the oracle of the internet.
yep MMA Supremacy broke that yesterday
@TylerTreese on twitter
www.thatmmablog.blogspot.com/
by TylerTreese on Dec 14, 2010 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
Wish he posted here still
I don’t have twitter but I go to MMA Supremacy’s twitter feed a couple times a week. He’s always got a bunch of interesting links and he often has some good scoops.
he got hired at MMA Payout
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Nate Wilcox on Dec 14, 2010 12:37 PM EST up reply actions
/jumps off a bridge
Luke: What was our best moment?
Nate: When I banned Subo?
Luke: That was a good one.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Dec 14, 2010 12:57 PM EST up reply actions
News to me
I mean, it’s MMA Payout, so I suppose it fits. Still, ew.
Luke: What was our best moment?
Nate: When I banned Subo?
Luke: That was a good one.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Dec 14, 2010 1:29 PM EST up reply actions
He does some good stuff, adding a lot of incite. I don’t see why anyone here wouldn’t be happy for him.
Subo just thinks he should be writing for ESPN by now and everyone else is a hack.
http://www.instrength.com
Not everyone
And I’d rather write for, oh I don’t know, USA Today.
Luke: What was our best moment?
Nate: When I banned Subo?
Luke: That was a good one.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Dec 14, 2010 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
lol
You couldn’t pay me enough to write for MMA Payout.
Luke: What was our best moment?
Nate: When I banned Subo?
Luke: That was a good one.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Dec 14, 2010 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
You don’t get paid at all to write anywhere, so you’d think that anyone that wanted to pay you would be a step in the right direction?
http://www.instrength.com
by Tim Burke on Dec 14, 2010 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
FX would’ve been better, but MTV2 could be really great for Bellator. Yay!
"If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result is victory, then you must not fight, even at the ruler's bidding." - Sun Tzu
"It's meaningless to just live. It's meaningless to just fight. I want to win!" - Ichigo Kurosaki
Only thing i don't like about MTV2
it isn’t offered in hd here. I never had a problem finding fox sports live and in hd with directv
Yeah, there’s no HD offering here, either. It’s also on a separate tier of channels, so if you don’t already have the “digital preferred” on Comcast you’ll need to add it for $10 a month to get MTV2. The channel is also in only 64 million homes as opposed to the 82 million that FSN reached.
by Jamie Penick on Dec 14, 2010 12:07 PM EST up reply actions
yea 20 million more homes but
They bumped bellator all the time. The guys got no respect. They were the Rodney Dangerfields of mma.
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 14, 2010 12:37 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
No MTV2 in HD for me here in Htown on DirecTV. =(
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Dec 14, 2010 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
no HD MTV2
DirecTV here in Alabama :( sad panda indeed. looks like i will end up downloading the fights still.
Excellent news!!!
I love Bellator (last season’s male tourneys sucked but hey….) and tournament style matches get my juices going.
Accustomed to mediocrity.
This sucks (because i don’t have mtv 2). I was excited for the fx deal, this one not so much. Even when i did have mtv 2 i wouldn’t turn it on.
by who me on Dec 14, 2010 12:38 PM EST via mobile reply actions
DirecTV subscriber here.
Not happy with this deal because I don’t get MTV2 in HD :(
by Rob Young on Dec 14, 2010 12:42 PM EST via mobile reply actions
We can all look forward
to a Fall Out Boy reunion concert in between fights and Benji Madden from Good Charlotte as a broadcaster since he, apparently, trains in MMA…
by LikeTheWhiskey on Dec 14, 2010 12:45 PM EST reply actions
Considering
The only way most people see bellator is through illegal means I don’t think HD is a big deal.
"Getting banned for saying Fuck Tomas Rios is like getting banned for saying Hitler sucks. Kid Nate is being a douche."
I have FX in HD
but mtv2 is standard def, still getting free mma
beggars can’t be choosers i guess
People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.
- Helen Keller
UPDATE : UVerse in CT has no MTV2 HD.
You cant stop him, you can only hope to contain him. -- Random Person
Another one bits the dust. -- Myself
by Tokyo Sandblaster on Dec 14, 2010 12:49 PM EST reply actions
This could be interesting
MTV2 and Spike are corporate siblings (both owned by viacom) wonder what Dana and Lorenzo think about this in the middle of contract talks and Comcast and ESPN on the sidelines.
MMA Junkie has more details
You might want to update witjh a link to MMAJunkie.
Officials today announced the mixed-martial-arts promotion has signed a three-year broadcasting deal with MTV2, which will air two annual 12-week seasons live in the cable station’s 80 million homes in 2011. Additionally, “offseason” events will air live between seasons.
In 2011, the organization hosts two 12-weeks seasons, which include 11 live events and a highlights-geared “Road to the Championship” special. Additionally, MTV2 will air three live events between seasons in 2011, which assures the fight promotion has a year-round presence (and that top fighters don’t experience extended layoffs).
No more all day marathons of Rob and Big?
:(
"One of the scariest people on this planet. If I was his cellmate in prison and he desired to rape me, I'd probably just hang myself."-Seph Smith
"I would just tattoo handprints on my ankles so I knew exactly where to grab everytime... With him though I'm such a fan that I'd probably just do it willingly"-Luke Thomas On Alistair Overeem
by II SMASH II on Dec 14, 2010 12:56 PM EST via mobile reply actions
If they do a Japanese season, they could fight!
Luke: What was our best moment?
Nate: When I banned Subo?
Luke: That was a good one.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Dec 14, 2010 12:58 PM EST up reply actions
Rob and Big was a great show. I’m so sad it only lasted 3 seasons. Fantasy Factory just isn’t half as good.
by budgellism on Dec 14, 2010 1:19 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Here's a PDF on MTV2
http://www.thecab.tv/php/networkprofiles/10profileData/10_pdf/10MTV2.pdf
Fact Grab
76 Million Reach
Does about 79,000 in Prime time in MMA’s key demo
Does appear to have a HD feed
damn...
I don’t get MTV2. Guess I’m going to have to keep waiting 2 or 3 days for the Score to show the events.
Weird
But correct me if I am wrong, the UFC has ran some countdown shows off MTV 2 in the past right?
So MTV 2 is a “supporter” of MMA, which is good and another positive is, that folks (like myself) who do have MTV 2 (no HD) will actually be able to watch the events unfold live, instead of tape delay due to baseball, hockey, basketball and high school football because of Fox Sports Net.
As long as MTV 2 does not have their hand in the production value I think we will be good. Last time MTV did a sports/entertainment show was Wrestling Society X, and it was horrible and lasted only one season.
The demographic is slightly odd considering when you think of MTV you think of tweens and girls versus the Mature audiences of FX.
Should be interesting.
MTV2 is better than FSN but not nearly as good as FX.
The bad news is the overall viewership will be peanuts and the money MTV2 will be paying wont allow them to hold onto guys but the good news is the network is such that they will almost certainly not get cancelled and if they can run a thrifty b-league they’ll stay in business.
This deal gets bellator into the next round but they need another major source of revenue to last. Nobody will be wanting to pump money into something that will never make it past feeder league status.
this deal really sucks for me i dont get mtv2 and ive enjoyed watching bellator so i guess as it stands now i no longer will be able to watch :(
by Dennis Reardanz on Dec 14, 2010 4:55 PM EST reply actions
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