PFL International Events Streaming on Vice TV in US

Here’s a breakdown of the key information from ⁢the provided text:

PFL (Professional Fighters League) and Vice TV Partnership

* Deal: PFL has partnered with Vice TV ⁢to‍ broadcast PFL MENA ‍(Middle East ⁢and North Africa) and PFL Africa events in the U.S.
*⁢ Coverage: Vice will air ⁣eight more events from MENA and Africa⁢ throughout 2026.Subscribers will also have ‍on-demand access to 50 hours of archived‍ fights.
* why vice? ‍ PFL chose vice due to its “unique storytelling voice, passionate sports audience, and broad linear reach.”
* Vice’s Existing Sports Content: Vice TV already broadcasts BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, United Fight⁣ league, and⁤ Arena Football One, and recently premiered NFL Classics: After Further Review.

PFL’s US ⁢Rights Situation

* Current Deal: PFL’s current US rights deal with ⁢ESPN⁣ expires next year.
* ESPN’s Position: ESPN has renewed ‍its deal with PFL several times (most recently in 2023) but recently lost the rights to UFC⁣ to Paramount in a massive deal ($7.7 billion for seven years).
* PFL’s Opportunity: PFL sees an opportunity to become a major player in the US market, especially⁣ now that UFC is with Paramount. They aim to present themselves as the second-biggest MMA promotion and offer a new format with more global events.
* Priority: Securing a new US media rights deal is PFL CEO John Martin’s top priority‍ over ‍the next 12 months.
* ⁢ Validation: Martin views the UFC/Paramount deal ⁤as validation that MMA is now a mainstream sport.

In essence, PFL is leveraging its international growth (MENA and Africa) to ‍strengthen⁤ its position in ‍the crucial US market, ⁣particularly as ESPN looks ⁤for new MMA content following the loss⁢ of UFC rights.