Paramount Australia Expands Boxing Coverage with Zuffa Boxing Partnership

Paramount Australia has secured the rights to broadcast Zuffa Boxing events across its platforms, including pubs, clubs, and bars through Adrenalen Sport, starting with Z04 on March 9th. This move expands Paramount’s sports portfolio and aims to capitalize on the growing interest in boxing, particularly following the success of Zuffa Boxing’s inaugural events.

Zuffa Boxing and Paramount’s Global Expansion

In September 2023, Paramount secured exclusive rights to Zuffa Boxing in the US, Canada, and Latin America for a multi-year deal beginning in 2026. AdNews reports that these rights have now been extended to Australia. The partnership commenced with Zuffa Boxing 01: Walsh vs Ocampo on January 24th.

Adrenalen Sport to Distribute Events to Hospitality Venues

Adrenalen Sport, a platform focused on commercial venue sports broadcasts, will distribute Zuffa Boxing events throughout Australia. TV Tonight highlights that this includes pubs, clubs, bars, casinos, and other hospitality locations. The distribution begins with Z04, featuring Australian boxer Jai Opetaia and American Brandon Glanton on March 9th.

Zuffa Boxing’s 2026 Schedule and Future Plans

Zuffa Boxing plans to host 12 boxing cards throughout 2026, with intentions to increase the number of events in subsequent years. Mark Sturdy, founder and CEO of Adrenalen, believes this will drive foot traffic to venues, attracting a crossover audience already interested in combat sports. He stated that early adopters will benefit from capturing the audience that currently follows UFC events.

Expanding Sports Rights for Adrenalen Sport

The addition of Zuffa Boxing complements Adrenalen Sport’s existing portfolio of soccer rights, which includes the A-Leagues, AFC Women’s Asian Cup, men’s Asian Cup qualifiers, Australian national team matches, Italy’s Coppa Italia, and the Scottish Cup. TV Tonight details this expanded offering.

Zuffa Boxing’s Debut and Viewership Numbers

Zuffa Boxing debuted on September 13th with a major card featuring Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. This fight garnered significant viewership, drawing 41 million global viewers on Netflix. The average minute audience (AMA) reached 36.6 million, with an estimated 500,000 viewers watching in commercial establishments. In the US alone, the AMA was 20.3 million, comparable to recent NFL game viewership.

Additional Rights Agreements

Beyond the Paramount partnership, Zuffa Boxing has a rights agreement with Begin, a streaming platform based in the United Arab Emirates, covering Pakistan and Bangladesh. Begin holds exclusive rights in Pakistan and non-exclusive rights in Bangladesh for Zuffa Boxing events in 2026 and 2027.

Paramount’s Broader Strategy

This partnership with Zuffa Boxing aligns with Paramount Australia’s broader strategy to strengthen its sports offerings and enhance its commercial impact through unified video buying and CTV distribution, as outlined in Variety Australia. The company is focused on removing friction in the advertising process and meeting agencies’ evolving needs.