SM
Spurs vs. Man United: 15 hrs 21 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Matchroom announces broadcast deal with DAZN

:Headline: Matchroom announces broadcast deal with DAZN:
The five-year deal will start on July 31.
Sports Mole

Eddie Hearn welcomed the end of perpetual “arm wrestling” with fans over pay-per-views after announcing DAZN will replace Sky Sports as Matchroom Boxing’s exclusive broadcast partner in the UK and Ireland from this summer.

The promoter has had a long and fruitful relationship with Sky Sports for the last nine years, which has helped to establish the likes of Anthony Joshua, Katie Taylor, Carl Froch and Tony Bellew as genuine household names.

But DAZN co-chief executive officer James Rushton saluted a “game-changing” partnership as Hearn strengthened his ties to the global streaming service by signing a five-year deal, which is believed to run into nine figures.

Anthony Joshua will not automatically move to DAZN (Nick Potts/PA)

Joshua is the only fighter in Hearn’s stable who will not automatically make the switch from July to DAZN, which is committed to screening at least 16 Matchroom UK shows annually, and the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion will have to negotiate a separate agreement in order to appear on the platform in this country.

DAZN intends to keep its introductory price at £1.99 – 1.99 euros in Ireland – in the short-term, which guarantees subscribers access to every fight it shows. Hearn, who has worked with DAZN across other territories for the last three years, has faced criticism in the past from boxing supporters for some of the events that have landed on PPV.

When asked what prompted the switch to DAZN, Hearn told the PA news agency: “You’re only as good – and the content and the fights that you deliver are only as good and as big – as the budget that you have.

“Over the last few years we’ve been under pressure to really work off this PPV model where we’re consistently arm wrestling with fans and negotiating with fans in terms of what’s pay-per-view and what’s not.

“We want to become the sole global promoter of power and position around the world and this enables us to continue to do that”
- Eddie Hearn

“I stand by all those events delivering you value for money. But they cost you £20 on top of your subscription for the sports platform. Now that’s going to be part of your existing subscription for DAZN.

“Some call it the worst kept secret in boxing. It’s a ground-breaking deal, a big move for us, an incredible offer that was made to us and a chance for us to really establish our vision for the sport in this country.

“We want to become the sole global promoter of power and position around the world and this enables us to continue to do that. The global domination is not a Dr Evil thing we’re plotting, that’s where we want to get to.”

Matchroom’s departure does not signal the end of Sky’s involvement in the sport as a source told PA the broadcaster is in advanced conversations with both UK and international promoters, and will confirm its plans in the near future to increase the quality and volume of boxing output on its channels.

The DAZN deal gives UK boxers under the Matchroom umbrella the opportunity to broaden their appeal by fighting overseas, although Hearn admitted being unable to rely on Sky Sports to push the narrative before a fight is a blow.

Hearn added: “We’re going to have to work harder in that respect because the Sky Sports almost propaganda machine for our boxing events is going to be done in a different kind of way now.

“We have to be smart with those partnerships we put in place. There will be another announcement about one of those partnerships which will, quite frankly, blow your socks off.”

The deal begins on July 31 with three back-to-back weekends of Matchroom Fight Camp – the company’s headquarters which was Hearn’s childhood back garden in Brentwood, Essex.

Rushton told PA: “It’s another game changing deal for DAZN. For us it gives an opportunity to double down on the investment in boxing.

“We’re very proud of the fact that we are a disrupter. We’ve created a business where we’re trying to make premium sports more accessible to fans and this is another of a catalogue of deals over the last year that shows what we’re all about as a business.

“I think it’s really exciting for UK boxing fans and it shows our intent of growing our business outside of our core markets over the next 12 to 24 months, so watch this space.”

body check tags ::

amp_article__450111 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-06-03 15:59:08:
html db last update - 2021-06-03 15:59:08 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Eddie Hearn

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Eddie Hearn Boxing
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Do Ruben Amorim's comments suggest he wants to keep or sell "talented" Rashford?
Diallo, Isak and who else? Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week
'I want to play for one of the best teams' - Gyokeres opens up on future plans

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

History made! Real Madrid triumph in inaugural FIFA Intercontinental Cup

1

HM

Team News: Chelsea vs. Shamrock injury, suspension list, predicted XIs

2

TN

Preview: Drancy JA vs. Nantes - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PD

Preview: Bayern vs. RB Leipzig - prediction, team news, lineups

4

PB

Ruben Amorim target set to snub Manchester United? Boss suffers fresh setback

5

RA

Team News: Spurs vs. Man Utd injury, suspension list, predicted XIs

6

TN

Could Williams replace Rashford at Man United?

7

CW

'I want to play for one of the best teams' - Gyokeres opens up on future plans

8

'W

Ancelotti makes history in Real Madrid's Intercontinental Cup success

9

AM

"I don't agree" - Arsenal legend dismisses Arteta "safety-first" argument

10

&D


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .