Administrative Court in Munich annuls ‘illegitimate’ broadcast ban on UFC events in Germany

After a near five-year ban on UFC broadcasts in Germany, the Administrative Court in Munich has annulled the ban by the Bavarian State Media Authority (BLM) on the UFC after it was deemed ‘illegitimate.'

ZUFFA, the UFC's parent company, filed a lawsuit against BLM in 2010 when the ban was instated. The court ruled in the promotion's favour four years later on October 9^th, 2014, as it appeared that the UFC's contest is "generally suitable for broadcast," and that Mixed Martial Arts is a "plausible sport."

The court also concluded that the BLM, which removed UFC events that were previously available for viewing on the Sport1/DSF TV channel, did not have any legal grounds to ban programming that it deems unsuitable from their perspective.

"This verdict is a milestone for the UFC and for the many UFC fans in Germany," said UFC Chief Global Brand Officer Garry Cook. "The court has confirmed that it was illegitimate to ban our broadcast programs. We always had confidence in the German market and felt a responsibility to grow the sport and satisfy demand - this is why we fought against this ban. We will continue to work intensively to bring events, content and original programming to German viewers."

The BLM plans to appeal against the Administrative Court's verdict.