UFC Ends Relationship With Setanta Sports, Promises UFC 100 Will Be Televised in UK
PRESS RELEASE — The Ultimate Fighting Championship organisation has confirmed it has terminated its agreement with Setanta Sports.
Setanta had been the broadcaster of UFC(R) live events and programming since January 2008.
UFC UK Division President Marshall Zelaznik said: “It was with great regret that the UFC ended its relationship with Setanta. Over the last two years, Setanta has helped the UFC become the biggest indoor sporting event in the British Isles.
“They were the right partner for us at the right time as we continued to build the sport of mixed martial arts and our brand.
“Throughout the last few weeks we have been kept informed of the situation at Setanta and therefore we are in a position to ensure our UK and Eire fans will not miss any of this summer’s huge UFC events, commencing with UFC 100 in July.
“We will be announcing the new home of UFC shortly but assure our fans they won’t miss any of the upcoming super-fights.”
And Zelaznik added: “And on behalf of the UFC I want to wish the team at Setanta all the strength to get through what must be very difficult times. We have worked very closely with the entire Setanta team over the past years and wish them the best of luck in the future.”
[Pictured: Marshall Zelaznik]
Tags: Marshall Zelaznik
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I hope virgin get it cos sky will probably ppv it!
yeah sky will rip the shiit out of us, but i can still see them getting it!
Gutted. The way the statement is worded implies it won’t be PPV (wishful thinking?). We can only hope!! Virgin’s a good call, as Bravo don’t seem willing to shell out enough cash given that they haven’t even had rights to TUF.
Come on Branson do us proud big man!
By the way boys – I think we have been remarkably quiet about the resounding UK victory on TUF..
I have a feeling that we would have got some stick if we had failed to win either weight division!
I wouldn’t be too bothered if Sky picked up the UFC. Setanta cost me £12.99 a month so what will £15.00 matter? I never watched anything else on Setanta anyway.
Totally agree, how much rugby league and golf can someone watch. I hated paying that money for all those channels without anything on. The only issues with PPV is when there are fights two weeks apart (1 in UK followed by 1 in US) and the fact that you are paying for a tape delayed sporting event. Fingers crossed for Virgin.
I did love Wilks hurting Johnson a lot
He was just way too arrogant for my liking, though that will probably lead to him getting a contract anyway. Any idea if any of the losers are getting a contract? Nick from UK would do well I think.
I realy hope it goes to virgin or back to bravo because if sky get the rights it will be good to a point, but then as soon as popularity increases ( which it will ) it will be PPV and £15-20 a time which is a joke especialy with most people struggling for cash with this recession nonsense
15-20 pounds a time will only be approaching what we pay here at $44.95/PPV
And? Most of our country are unemployed due to dirty foriegners calling the shots. No one has any money here
Besides, just because you guys get shafted, doesn’t mean we want to be.
It’s not my, nor the UFC’s fault your countrymen voted in politicians that opted for a wealth of social programs, which then had to be paid for through higher taxes which drove job producing companies out of the country…. crap it’s like looking into a crystal ball of where my country is heading… but that’s enough politics.
I understand not wanting to be shafted, and I genuinely hope you folks get a good deal whenever the UFC selects their new provider.
I didn’t say it was your fault and I didn’t want to come across as being nasty.
Your comment of “15-20 pounds a time will only be approaching what we pay here at $44.95/PPV” was a bit weird. Was we meant to thank god that we don’t pay as much as you? I would be up for paying what you pay, but seeing as we have to watch events early hours at 3am, i think £15.00 is plenty.
I never thought you indicated that it was my fault. I also know you weren’t intending to be nasty. I’m also not saying that you should “thank God” that you don’t pay as much as we do. I simply meant to point out that even if you do end up with a price hike, you will still be getting a better deal than us. Basically just trying to give a bit of perspective to the guys that might find it a rip off to have to pay more to watch the fights. Then when you mentioned the unemployment thing, basically that elicits no sympathy from me, and that was my main point in saying what I said regarding that.
Yeh! on 3….. 1,2,3 UUU K. Wilks totaly outclassed the highly confident USA fave Johnson and lets not forget Nick almost had him in his 1st round bout.
I particularly enjoyed watching Demarques man handled by Wilks also, his face was a real picture when the realisation that he isn’t as good as he initially thought he was dawned upon him. I laughed my b*llocks off !!!!
the only thing about virgin and bravo is thay will prob show the events on 24 hours tape delay which for me isnt good enough,especially with ufc 100 coming up its got to be live.a would rather pay skys ppv
Sky show all their PPV’s a week later free of charge anyway. Even if you can’t afford a PPV, you still get to see it for free, just a week later.
While I’m here reading the little tiff between ryanmoney and justin over socialistic polocies and well all the stuff that makes my brain into soup….
I will just go ahead and say to all of the Brits (or people associated with that island) that come to the FrenZy congrats on winning the TUF 9 US v UK…. your “team” worked together and did rather well, the season was pretty good imo and well the US lost and the UK won… good on ya cheers
No tiff here man. Cheers
Agreed, and cheers.
does anyone know what channel it will be on yet?????
still no news and time is running out for ufc 100
Any word on wat channel ufc 100 will be shown on?
im in england and just noticed im now able to tune into setanta ireland and according to the tv guide ufc 100 is gunna be on this channel.
Leaving it far to late! Iv been looking forwad to ufc 100 for months and months and now two days left and no decision . Sort ya life out dana! Al have to fly to mexico from newcastle england! Tonight at this rate. I will not miss it!
and ive just had a look at the setanta ireland website and it confirms that ufc 100 will be live on this channel.
“Setanta Sports will broadcast UFC 100 live from Las Vegas this weekend. The live fight action begins at 3am in the early hours of Sunday morning (Saturday night) on the Setanta Ireland channel”
but looks like its gunna be able to be viewed in ireland only
There is now an article regarding where UFC 100 can be viewed in the UK.