UFC content will be moving to Paramount+ in 2026.
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Paramount is effectively taking over ESPN’s package of rights.
Crucially though, it doesn’t include the premium numbered events at this stage due to the Foxtel/Kayo deal. I would be surprised if they don’t end up on Paramount+ once that ends.
It will hurt ESPN though with so many ESPN UFC events, it’s so convenient being able to just put on ESPN on Foxtel or Fetch and watch UFC.
It also provided the channel with content tonnage due to the sheer number of events the UFC holds each year. While I’m sure ESPN will be able to fill the content void it’ll leave with its other rights, most of the programming it’ll air instead probably won’t attract as many viewers as UFC events.
This problem will be exacerbated in the U.S. summer period (June-August), from the end of NBA/Stanley Cup Finals to the start of NCAA football.
Hardly any sports will be happening. The ones that do usually belong to Fox or one of the FTAs.
MLB is the only professional league available but ESPN can only broadcast five games a week maximum, which they have to spread out to one a day.
E should really try to rework that contract as urgently as possible, otherwise EPGs from next summer will look so decimated it feels like an FTA multichannel.
Now the future of this slot is going in an interesting direction.
Going from early evening to morning (AEST/AEDT) is quite a choice. He has publicly said he doesn’t want to do the former forever anyway.
In between the NBA on NBC Coast 2 Coast coverage, ESPN AU had their own studio show ‘Nothing but Net’ instead of the NBC studio show.
also when going to the second game from ‘Nothing but Net’, ESPN AU when to the NBC Warriors broadcast instead of NBA on NBC, and only swapped to the NBA on NBC after the first timeout - 7:15 left in the first quarter.
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Do they do separate broadcasts for local games that are national?
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Yes. For each team maximum national tv exclusive is 15 (of 82).
In the old broadcast deal, ALL ABC & ALL TNT games were exclusive while ESPN broadcast had local team broadcast
In the new deal, ALL ABC & ALL NBC Sunday Night are exclusive. Prime, Peacock, ESPN & NBC have some local simulcast - with each having max 4 exclusives
here are some breakdowns
So teams with 25+ national tv have the max 15 exclusives but for teams around that 15 national tv, they don’t necessarily 15 exclusives
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There will be a Game 7 (LAD-TOR) tomorrow, 11am AEDT / 1pm NZDT.
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Start of Wildcats-Phoenix now on Disney+/Channel 10 due to overrun of WS Game 7; tie game at the bottom 9th.
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Surprised they’re mentioning it’s on 10 tbh - thought they’d just mention it’s on Disney+.
Hopefully a free kick to 10 for a bit
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The first MLB championship decider to be resolved in extras since 2016.
You can’t ask for more. Probably safe to say it’s deafening in some TAB venues.
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WE ARE HEADING INTO EXTRA INNINGS. WOW.
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Wonder if they should be doing the same for WNBL if it ever comes to that.
Heck, at that point just mention 9Go! instead of the broad “9Network”.
Also:
- That’s not the ESPN house style of writing overflows. It’s normally just “Event/Where it’s currently live on”.
- Do we need repetition?
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BottomLine is still there at the 10th inning, honestly they should just remove it this game is close and tight lol.
On the contrary, I think it should be up there for 30 more minutes just so NBL fans can have a sense of directory.
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Into to the 11th innings now. Not sure how much more my daughter can handle I told her it was only a few more minutes an hour ago! What’s game and series. Let’s go Blue Jays.
Will Smith have taken the Dodgers a 5-4 lead with a HR in the top 11th.
It’s over, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back-to-back World Series champions!