Digital sports media company Perform has revealed that its DAZN OTT platform will launch in the US on September 10 priced at $9.99 (€8.5) per month, with boxing’s heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Alexander Povetkin headlining the initial offerings.
Tuesday’s announcement follow’s May’s initial revelation of Perform and Matchroom Boxing’s $1bn joint venture to create Matchroom Boxing USA. DAZN is the exclusive broadcast partner for the JV, screening over 30 fight nights a year.
DAZN subsequently followed the Matchroom announcement by last month agreeing a multi-year rights deal with US mixed martial arts promotion Bellator and acquiring US rights for season two of the World Boxing Super Series.
DAZN has now revealed it will launch with an initial one-month free trial, with the first-ever fight night headlined by heavyweight world champion Joshua and Povetkin as the two battle for the British boxer’s WBA, IBF and WBO titles on September 22 live from Wembley Stadium in London.
Scott Coker, Bellator president and chief executive, also announced the invited participants and some of the matchups for its Welterweight Grand Prix. The tournament begins with Douglas Lima taking on Andrey Koreshkov as part of the Bellator: Mousasi vs. MacDonald event on September 29 from the SAP Center in San Jose. The 10-fighter tournament will play out over the next year exclusively on DAZN.
Additionally, Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Boxing managing director, announced plans for an October 6 card at Wintrust Arena in Chicago featuring new signings and former world titleholders Jessie Vargas and Demetrius Andrade in separate bouts. Hearn also announced the signings of WBO super lightweight titlist Maurice Hooker, WBA super bantamweight titlist Daniel Roman and several promising American amateurs to Matchroom U.S.A.
DAZN will commence its September launch with a line up of 70-plus fights – more than one fight night a week on average – through partnerships with Matchroom, Bellator and the World Boxing Super Series. Fans will also be offered a content portfolio ranging from new shows premiering on the service, behind-the-scenes features leading up to big events and real-time news stories about the upcoming matchups.
“We launched DAZN to disrupt the status quo and change the way the world sees sports,” James Rushton, DAZN chief executive, said. “When you get DAZN, you’ll get all the fights; we won’t stash our best matchups for PPV, linear TV or a higher-tier package. And you’re going to get the entire card live, no matter the time zone and without constraints for one affordable price.”
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