An interesting sports media trend from the league side lately has been free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels, available on various smart TVs and connected TVs. A couple examples include the ACC’s ACCDN Confidential (in partnership with Syncbak and Raycom) and the World Surf League’s WSL TV (in partnership with Loop). MMA promotion The Professional Fighters League is now getting into that game with PFL FAST, now live on Xumo and Local Now and coming to Sports.TV and the European-based SportsTribal Friday. It will show live event weigh-ins, press conferences, and behind-the-scenes footage, as well as archival highlights, PFL Vault episodes, and archival original programming. Here are some quotes on that from a release:
“We are excited to launch the Professional Fighters League’s first-ever FAST channel in the U.S. providing our young and passionate MMA fanbase with year-round access to PFL star talent, original content and fight library,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “The PFL MMA channel will reach over 125 million viewers across launch partners including Xumo, Local Now, Sports.TV and SportsTribal, with more top tier platforms to come.”
“The PFL channel brings premier fighting action to Xumo viewers 24/7,” stated Stefan Van Engen, SVP of programming and partnerships at Xumo. “Programming such as this delivers best-in-class content to a dedicated and growing base of fans.”
“As a dedicated sports network with a strong roster of combat sport, PFL is a great fit for our service and well suited to our audience,” said Joe Nilsson, Chief Commercial Officer at SportsTribal.
This launch comes ahead of the 2022 PFL World Championship, set for Friday, November 25 in New York City at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. That event will see finalists facing off for six world titles and six $1 million purses. The main events there see Kayla Harrison going for her third PFL title against Larissa Pacheco and new PFL signing “Hurricane” Shane Burgos facing Marlon Moraes.
The PFL has often done some interesting things with content other than live fights. Their PFL Studios arm has produced everything from docuseries to fights diagrammed through champions’ eyes, and it helped them thrive during a 2020 pandemic shutdown. Much of that archival content will now be available here. They’ve also done deals with Twitter and Fubo Sports Network for press conference, weigh-ins, and behind-the-scenes content in the past. And it’s notable to see them now putting some of that on this FAST channel.
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.