Spike TV has acquired UK rights to ABC’s BattleBots in what is billed as a “substantial multi-season deal,” boosting the reality show’s reach, revenue and ultimately, Season 3 renewal odds.
Official press release follows:
BattleBots Storm the UK after Bidding War
Following a bidding war for the UK rights to ABC primetime hit entertainment series BattleBots, Spike UK has secured the exclusive rights from Sky Vision, the distribution and production arm of Sky.
Spike UK is set to launch the series this summer and will share the UK rights with sister network, Channel 5, in a substantial multi-season deal.
This latest sale brings the total number of territories sold to more than 100, in just three months since Sky Vision launched the series and format at MipTV in April. Among the larger deals concluded to date are; Nine Network Australia (Gem), Discovery Germany and CEEMEA, Discovery Latin America, Bell Media Canada (Z), Sony Asia, and A&E Iberia.
Season 2 of BattleBots launched on ABC in the US last month, garnering excellent reviews and ratings that were 30% up on the same network slot last year. The series already has a passionate and dedicated following in the U.S.
BattleBots is the popular ABC robot combat show in the world’s largest bullet-proof arena, where homemade robots compete against each other in an elimination tournament. Over the second US series, filmed in Los Angeles, 48 teams and their bots, including several entries from the UK, competed against each other to be crowned the BattleBots champion. The series was produced by Whalerock Industries and BattleBots Inc.
Anna-Belen Dunlop, Spike’s Acquisitions and Channel Manager at Channel 5 added: ““Battlebots is boisterous, fun and hugely entertaining, and we are thrilled to be delivering more new and exclusive content to our Spike audience.”
Tom Gutteridge, the Executive Producer in charge of the global rollout of the BattleBots brand, said: “We are very glad we appointed Sky Vision to handle the distribution of the series. In just three months they have pretty much achieved the goal we set them – of getting the BattleBots brand known around the entire world. The second season has launched to huge acclaim and great ratings in the US, and now we’re implementing the next stage of the rollout – merchandising deals to accompany the broadcast sales, and international versions of the show to run alongside the 2017 US series. We’re absolutely thrilled about the Spike UK deal. It’s just the right fit for the show.”
BattleBots was created by Trey Roski and his cousin Greg Munson, who together won the first Robot Wars UK competition in 1995.
Trey Roski said: “Robotic combat fans throughout the UK will be very excited to see BattleBots, the world’s largest, and only professional, robot fighting sport on their screens. They’ll also see the very best robots from the UK and across the globe competing against the world’s strongest in some truly amazing battles.”
Leona Connell, Director of Sales at Sky Vision, said: “We are thrilled, not only to have made so many deals in such a short time, but also to have sold BattleBots to such great partners. Buyers are reacting swiftly and decisively with offers, and the Spike UK deal is testament to the mainstream primetime appeal of the show.” (Source: Sky)
Stay tuned as we continue to monitor the renewal status of BattleBots Season 3…
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