The Athletic reports that DAZN has put a halt on its live-events team until early July due to the coronavirus pandemic. This also likely means the same impact on Bellator’s team as well.
The furlough of employees of DAZN will include 50 percent pay and full medical benefits.
Along with boxing events, the pause on DAZN live-events will impact Bellator as well. The Viacom-owned company already announced a postponement of its May events.
Not only will DAZN miss out on a GGG fight this May, it also had scheduled the return of Anthony Joshua to the ring against Kubrat Pulev in June. The Joshua-Pulev fight was postponed last week.
Sports Business Journal stated that the company would withhold rights fees in light of the postponed events.
The hope is that DAZN returns from its hibernation stronger. The company already has a GGG-Canelo fight tentatively schedules for September 12th at ATT Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Payout Perspective:
With a stable of fighters that DAZN committed to, its hard not to believe that
the hopes of the digital platform will be on the trilogy fight in
September. The company’s strategy will
be reevaluated during this “down time” as it solely built its business on live events
on a subscription platform. One has to
believe that the company is losing subscribers in bulk during these three
months and the onus will be on the business to reimagine itself for the last
quarter of 2020 as well as 2021.
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