MLW Announces Deal To Air Content Over-The-Air In Major Markets
Major League Wrestling (MLW) made a major announcement today that will change the way fans are able to watch their content.
MLW and television partner beIN Sports have announced an agreement that will see the organization's content be broadcast on the free streaming and over-the-air channel beIN Sports XTRA. This means that MLW's content will appear on traditional television in major markets, as opposed to being part of a cable package — for example, MLW will be available on channels 24.2 and 25.2 in Chicago. It was confirmed in the press release that MLW will air on Fridays at 10 p.m. EST / 7:00 p.m. PST beginning on July 8, with its linear premiere the following day on beIN SPORTS.
BeIN SPORTS XTRA can be found on major streaming services such as Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, YouTube TV, Samsung TV Plus, Redbox, KlowdTV, TiVo, Vizio, and XUMO TV. In addition, MLW can be located on over-the-air television stations in states such as California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Connecticut, among others. Content will continue to air globally on MLW's YouTube channel.
"This partnership builds on our four-year relationship with beIN and will help drive awareness and give our fans the ability to access MLW content on multiple platforms," said Court Bauer, MLW's CEO. "MLW on beIN SPORTS XTRA gives viewers access to MLW for free via streaming services, as well as on over-the-air television in major markets like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas."
Major League Wrestling was first founded in 2002 by Bauer, but ceased operating in 2004. The organization was revived again in 2017 following a shift that saw the company become a podcast network in 2011. The promotion went on to secure a national television deal with beIN Sports in 2018 and were eventually able to sign talent with contracts as they continued to expand. Following the launch of the weekly TV show "Fusion," the promotion broadcast its first-ever pay-per-view, Saturday Night SuperFight, in 2019. The current talent roster includes wrestlers such as Jacob Fatu (cousin of Roman Reigns and the Usos), Alex Hammerstone (current MLW World Heavyweight Champion), Taya Valkyrie (current Women's Featherweight Champion) and the Von Erichs (Ross and Marshall).