Bell Media’s TSN and RDS officially become new Canadian home for UFC

TSN, RDS and Fight Network are the official new home for the UFC in Canada according to a joint press release on Tuesday.  The deal is multi-year agreement for Canadian media rights.

Prior to the deal, the UFC had called Rogers Sportsnet its home.  The recent release of January network scheduling on TSN revealed UFC programming which led many to believe a deal had been brokered for a new home for the UFC.

Via press release:

Bell Media’s TSN and RDS will deliver a slate of marquee UFC programming to fans across multiple platforms, including major live events, preliminary fights of UFC Pay-Per-View events, UFC Fight Night^™ events, and The Ultimate Fighter^® series.

Fight Network will broadcast all UFC Fight Night^™ events from around the world as well as preliminary bouts for domestic non-Pay-Per-View cards.

TSN and RDS will partner with Fight Network to produce an original live pre-fight program before Pay-Per-View events that will air on Canada’s #1 sports networks. Additional shoulder programming will air across TSN’s suite of five national feeds, giving UFC fans more access to programming than ever before.

As part of the partnership, TSN, RDS and Fight Network will work together to provide effective sales and marketing of UFC broadcasts in Canada.

Payout Perspective:

As we previously pointed out, the Sportsnet deal with the NHL likely meant that the UFC would be looking for another home.  Financial terms of the multi-year, multi-network deal were not disclosed.