BELLATOR'S GROWTH CONTINUES WITH NEW INTERNATIONAL DEALS
ELECTUS INTERNATIONAL SECURES DEALS IN JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, CHINA,
AFRICA, BENELUX, RUSSIA, AND BULGARIA
Los Angeles (August 3, 2016) -- Multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IAC), today announces that Electus International has secured new deals for Viacom's Bellator MMA(TM) with broadcasters in Australia (Spike), Japan (AbemaTV), Russia (Match), China (LeEco), Africa (MBC), South Korea (KBSN), Benelux (Spike) and Bulgaria (bTV).
The news follows the previously announced deals in the United Kingdom (Channel 5), Canada (RDS), Australia (Network Ten), France (AB Groupe), Portugal (SIC), Italy (Discovery), Portugal (SIC), Croatia (Fight Channel), South East Asia (Celestial Tiger), Israel (Ananey), Poland (NC+), Latin America (Fox Sports), Brazil (Esporte), Russia (Russia 2), Middle East (OSN) and New Zealand (Sky).
"Bellator continues to enjoy explosive growth overseas where we are now in over 140 countries and have entered into numerous foreign event partnerships," said Eddie Dalva, Executive Vice President, Content and Program Enterprises, Viacom Music and Entertainment and Bellator MMA.
"Thanks to its premium talent, heart pounding action and global reach, Bellator has experienced tremendous growth and success in each of the markets it has entered," said John Pollak, President of Electus International. "Bellator has quickly established itself as a leader in the global MMA landscape and we look forward to continuing to work with Viacom to bring the promotion to new audiences all over the world."
In 2016, Bellator MMA is having a breakout year with its highest ratings in all key demographics, along with record attendance, global expansion and sponsorship. Bellator features many of the best fighters in the world, including Benson Henderson, Phil Davis, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson," Tito Ortiz, Liam McGeary, Michael "Venom" Page, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, Michael Chandler, Matt Mitrione, Eduardo Dantas and more. In July, Bellator MMA staged its biggest overseas event at the O2 Arena in London to an energized and raucous crowd and experienced tremendous ratings in the UK and in the U.S.
Bellator is owned by American global mass media company Viacom and is available in more than 91 million homes on Spike TV as well as over 500 million homes in 150 countries worldwide. Additional exclusive Bellator content, Bellator preview shows, fighter profiles and high-octane fight highlights run on Spike TV and Bellator.com.
About Electus
Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world, including: broadcast, cable, digital, OTT and various emerging technologies. The company connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be true partners in campaigns and content creation. Electus International, the global distribution arm of Electus, is responsible for all international sales and distribution for Electus' programming and its studio partners as well as programs and formats from other well-known 3rd party providers. Electus is an operating business of IAC [NASDAQ: IAC]. For more information on Electus, visit www.electus.com.
About Bellator MMA:
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 91.4 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike's Internet address is www.spike.com.
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