NBCSN Looking to Expand MMA Content with Bellator Prelims
Oh NBC Sports Network, you’ve always kind of just been there and don’t even get the level of attention that Fox Sports 2 gets. That really is saying something. NBC Sports Network has, to their credit, always been looking to provide combat sports programming as they currently air World Series of Fighting events as well as used to air GLORY Kickboxing events. But it looks like they want to branch out and bring in some new content by the way of Bellator prelims.
Bellator, of course, airs on Spike TV, but prelims air via a live stream. NBC Sports Network wants to help them out and get more content for themselves along the way. Not a terrible idea, but kind of strange when you consider World Series of Fighting is their current MMA brand. Then again, this could be yet another trap to lure in Bellator into cross-promotion with World Series of Fighting. [source]
Sources have told TheMMAReport.com that NBC Sports Network recently reached out to Bellator MMA about broadcasting their preliminary cards for the upcoming tenth season and beyond. In previous Bellator MMA seasons, the preliminary cards have been streamed online at Spike.com.
The NBCSN ended up offering a multi-year deal to Bellator MMA that would pay the California based mixed martial arts organization a rights fee in the millions for the ability to broadcast the Bellator MMA preliminary cards.
However, the two sides were unable to come to an agreement. With the two sides being unable to make a deal, the Bellator MMA preliminary cards will continue to be streamed live on Spike.com for the upcoming tenth season, which will begin on February 28th