Bellator MMA land 'game changing' multi-year nine-figure deal with DAZN

The app blows donkey dick. I regularly watch on cable, but to use they app, they require me to sign in through my cable provider. Then my cable provider isn’t even listed, making the app useless.

Yeah I don't have cable so their app sucks for me to. Honestly don't know why they couldn't have done a PPV thing with their app, like you can order an event if you don't have cable.
 
The question is, how much will the DAZN deal affect their Paramount viewership?

Opinions?

Hard to say worldwide. In America I doubt very much. Sure, some west coast diehard's might sign up for it. But that can't be that many viewers. I don't know how we'll ever know worldwide the effects of it.

I guess if Dazn signs the option for 4th and 5th year we'll at least know Bellator is pulling in some people. But good lord, they don't own the rights to anything worth while right now and I'm not sure that is going to change to the point too get fans to pay for the service. I think they'll try to build it off niche sports. Who knows if it will work or not.
 
Hard to say worldwide. In America I doubt very much. Sure, some west coast diehard's might sign up for it. But that can't be that many viewers. I don't know how we'll ever know worldwide the effects of it.

I guess if Dazn signs the option for 4th and 5th year we'll at least know Bellator is pulling in some people. But good lord, they don't own the rights to anything worth while right now and I'm not sure that is going to change to the point too get fans to pay for the service. I think they'll try to build it off niche sports. Who knows if it will work or not.

If Paramount is able to maintain its TV viewership, then who cares how many people watch Bellator on DAZN?
 
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The question is, how much will the DAZN deal affect their Paramount viewership?

Opinions?

Dazn will carry every bellator card in addition to the 6 exlcusive cards so if it doesnt affect paramount viewership it means dazn isnt getting any subscribers. Those who subscribe to dazn will be able to get all the bellator events on dazn so why would they go back to paramount to watch it?

either paramount viewers are going to decrease or dazn isnt getting any subscribers. this deal makes no sense for viacom unless they want to get rid of bellator.
 
Dazn will carry every bellator card in addition to the 6 exlcusive cards so if it doesnt affect paramount viewership then it means dazn isnt getting subscribers. Those who subscribe to dazn will be able to get all the bellator events on dazn so why would they go back to paramount to watch it?

either paramount viewers are going to decrease or dazn isnt getting any subscribers. this deal makes no sense for viacom unless they want to get rid of bellator.

Is Viacom affected by how many people watch on DAZN? If no one subscribes and everyone just keeps watching on Paramount, they're still 100 million dollars better off than if this deal never came.
 
Is Viacom affected by how many people watch on DAZN? If no one subscribes and everyone just keeps watching on Paramount, they're still 100 million dollars better off than if this deal never came.

Viewership on paramount will be affected either way because the biggest events will be exclusively on dazn.

if people subscribe they'll just watch the rest of the bellator events on dazn decreasing paramount viewership, if nobody subscribes paramount still wont have the biggest bellator events to attract people to the network and increase their average audience. And will people still follow the weak belllator cards on paramount?

we're talking about the affect on viewership. We're not talking about whether it was a good deal for viacom. Im sure it was a great deal for viacom because I doubt theyve been very happy with bellators ratings and they found a way to get rid of it.
 
If Paramount is able to maintain its TV viewership, then who cares how many people watch Bellator on DAZN?

Nobody cares is the point right now. With this DAZN deal Viacom has made Bellator profitable for the first time now on paper. But if fans vacated Bellator on simple name change of channel does anyone really think they'll pay for some Bellator events now? If the bigger stars are regulated to DAZN exclusive shows you'd have to believe the ratings aren't going to get better for Bellator. So eventually moving them off Paramount would be what could happen. Transfer to CMT might be in the future. This deal smells of Viacom positioning themselves to sell off Bellator. Which might just be the best thing for them long term. But the longer Bellator sits in this world of not really having a home I think the viewership will continue to suffer. If DAZN can't build there North American streaming service they may vacate the US market as there bread and butter is European markets and who knows where that would leave Bellator in 3 years.

The next few years are going to be very interesting for Bellator's future.
 
Viewership on paramount will be affected either way because the biggest events will be exclusively on dazn.

if people subscribe they'll just watch the rest of the bellator events on dazn decreasing paramount viewership, if nobody subscribes paramount still wont have the biggest bellator events to attract people to the network and increase their average audience. And will people still follow the weak belllator cards on paramount?

we're talking about the affect on viewership. We're not talking about whether it was a good deal for viacom. Im sure it was a great deal for viacom because I doubt theyve been very happy with bellators ratings and they found a way to get rid of it.
Yes. All that makes sense. But it is possible, that after giving DAZN those fights, they use part of the 100 million to get some stars they couldn't have otherwise, and that eventually comes back Paramounts way.
 
I also think people are underestimating the new customer category called the "I'll never, ever subscribe to cable television, but I do have internet and would consider paying for some online streaming services like DAZN."

I know lots of people who fall into that category, and they are out there willing to pay for product, but have no means to given that cable isn't even a consideration.
 
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Yes. All that makes sense. But it is possible, that after giving DAZN those fights, they use part of the 100 million to get some stars they couldn't have otherwise, and that eventually comes back Paramounts way.

not really paramounts way. Paramount doesnt have any exclusive bellator events. All of the events are on dazn with 6 being exclusive. Paramount for now will be simulcasting the non exclusive events.

I highly doubt Viacom will be investing in programming that is designed to take viewers away from paramount and onto dazn.
 
Yes. All that makes sense. But it is possible, that after giving DAZN those fights, they use part of the 100 million to get some stars they couldn't have otherwise, and that eventually comes back Paramounts way.

that's true. good point.
 
The service will launch in the U.S. on Sept. 10, at a monthly subscription price of $9.99 with a free one-month trial.
 
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